gophers gameday

5 P.M. AT NO. 16 MICHIGAN •

CRISLER ARENA • BTN, 1500-AM

Gophers at a glance: After losing six of eight, the Gophers (18-11, 7-9 Big Ten) managed their best game of the season on Tuesday in a 95-89 victory over Iowa. Two players notched career highs in scoring: senior G Austin Hollins, who scored 27 points in breaking out of a 2-for-10 shooting slump from beyond the arc in the previous four games, and freshman F Charles Buggs, who scored 13 points after previously having played only two-plus minutes in the Big Ten schedule. Defensively, however, the Gophers were not as impressive, as Iowa scored 1.24 points per possession in a game that was among the fastest and most efficient that the Gophers have participated in this season. … The last time they played Michigan, in the league opener, the Wolverines shot 41.2 percent from three-point range and pulled out the 63-60 victory despite losing F Glenn Robinson III to injury early in the second half. … F Oto Osenieks is questionable because of trouble with cartilage in his left knee. He did not play Tuesday.

Michigan at a glance: The Wolverines are coming off three victories in four games, including a Robinson overtime buzzer-beating layup at Purdue on Wednesday after trailing by as many as 19. That enabled the Wolverines (20-7, 12-3) to keep their one-game lead at the top of the conference standings over Michigan State. … Michigan has lost twice at Crisler Arena this season — against then-No. 1 Arizona in the nonconference schedule and against Wisconsin last week — but remains one of the toughest places to play in the conference. The Wolverines have lost only four games there in the past three seasons. … Michigan has the best field goal percentage (.477), three-point percentage (.389) and free-throw percentage (.757) in the conference. … Sophomore guard Caris LaVert has scored in double figures in eight of his past nine games, including three performances of 20-plus points. … The last time the two teams met, Zak Irvin nailed five three-pointers.

Amelia Rayno