u men's basketball gameday
6 P.M. at Penn State • TV: BTN, 1500-aM
Gophers (13-8, 2-6 Big Ten): The Gophers have won two of their past three games after downing Illinois 79-71 at Williams Arena on Saturday. Andre Hollins led the team with 28 points — the senior guard has scored 80 points in the past three games — and added five assists with just one turnover. The team hit nine of 20 three-point attempts (45 percent) and had its best free-throw shooting performance (22-for-29, 75.9 percent) of conference play. Center Mo Walker, coming off a down game at Nebraska, finished with the second double-double of his season and career, accumulating 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Gophers won the boards battle 38-30 vs. Illinois, their best differential in conference play.
Penn State (13-7, 1-6 Big Ten): The Nittany Lions broke an 0-6 Big Ten slump with a decisive 79-51 victory over Rutgers at home on Saturday, drilling 10 three-pointers in the process (seven in the first half). Star senior guard D.J. Newbill leads the Big Ten in scoring with 22 points per game, but he has exploded for a total of 87 points in the past three games, including a career-high 37 vs. Purdue earlier this month. Newbill, a threat to shoot, drive, dish and draw fouls, also lands 11th in the nation in free-throw attempts with 7.1 per game. Junior forward Brandon Taylor — a critical piece of Penn State's rebounding and post defense — sprained his medial collateral ligament Saturday and is questionable for Wednesday's game.
AMELIA RAYNO
