A year ago, the optimistic discussion surrounding Minnesota's first season under Richard Pitino focused on whether the Gophers — lingering then on the edges of NCAA tournament bracket predictions — were bound for the Big Dance.

The Gophers enter Sunday's game against Indiana on a three-game winning streak, but this season, Pitino's Year 2, has had a much different feel. Minnesota fans spent most of January bracing for what was suddenly expected to be the worst Big Ten season in a decade.

Yet, just as suddenly, the Gophers now have the same record — 16-9 overall, 5-7 in the Big Ten — as they did through a dozen conference games last season.

"It's weird to think about," senior guard Andre Hollins said. "I don't know. We're just taking it one game at a time."

Minnesota is coming off its biggest victory of the year, a 64-59 road victory over an Iowa team sitting just outside of the Top 25. The Gophers are climbing the conference standings, unexpected movement for a team that started conference play 0-5 and then 1-6, stuck then next to Rutgers and Penn State in the basement. Since the woeful start, Minnesota has gone 4-1 and is fresh off its first Big Ten road victory.

"To get a win on the road is good," Pitino said. "We haven't gotten a lot of them, and certainly it's brought up a lot. So they've got confidence now going in. But every game is different."

However, those tempted to revamp their projections for this season again should be forewarned that although Minnesota is in the same spot as it was last year, realistically it's in a much different position.

Last year, the Gophers had the benefit of a strong strength of schedule (SOS) — ranked ninth on Selection Sunday —and had notched signature victories over Ohio State and Wisconsin when they were at the 5-7 mark. Ultimately, they got another big one: a home victory vs. Iowa when the Hawkeyes were nationally ranked.

But this season, a string of poorly rated opponents hurt the Gophers' SOS, now at 77th, and their RPI, now at 73rd. To get a signature victory against a ranked opponent this season, they'll most likely have to do it against Wisconsin, a Final Four contender that the Gophers play twice. Minnesota missed chances against both Maryland and Ohio State. They did beat Illinois (17-8, 7-5), which is surging after five victories in six games, and Iowa.

A victory Sunday in Bloomington, Ind., also would shine on the schedule.

Six of the Gophers' seven losses were by five points or fewer, so it's not hard to believe that the Gophers are close.

This year has been considered a down one for the Big Ten, which has only had three teams — Wisconsin, Maryland and Ohio State — consistently ranked. It's hard to imagine that more than six teams will receive a berth in the tournament, and at least seven conference teams have records equal to or better than the Gophers' and victories over ranked teams.

For the moment, the Gophers are still not in the "bubble" conversation. The talk, however, is changing.

"We blew some opportunities early, but we'll have some more moving forward," senior center Mo Walker said. "Hopefully we'll get another one and keep this streak rolling."