Gophers' toughest test has arrived

For the past few weeks, the Gophers have played it cool whenever asked about today's final exam of the nonconference schedule against Louisville.

"To be honest, it's just another game to me," Damian Johnson said after the team's latest victory, Dec. 10 against South Dakota State.

The Gophers, however, know what's at stake when they face No. 9 Louisville today at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. -- validation.

The Gophers have a chance to crack the Top 25 in a major poll for the first time since December 2002 and prove that their 9-0 record is no fluke. And it's the Gophers' only chance in the nonconference schedule to test themselves against a team with the potential to go deep into the NCAA tournament.

On paper it's the most intriguing -- and biggest -- matchup of Tubby Smith's tenure at Minnesota, partly because of his relationship with Louisville coach Rick Pitino. Smith was a member of Pitino's staff when Pitino took the head coaching job at Kentucky in 1989, and then Smith succeeded his mentor as Kentucky coach in 1997. The two have remained close over the years.

Even Johnson, when pressed, admits the game carries more than the normal significance.

"I think it would give a lot of guys confidence," he said. "We've got a lot of new guys that may need that confidence. Also, a lot of returning players that might have been wondering if this team is better than last year or whatever. After a big win like that, we'll know for sure."

Smith will have all of his players available for the first time this season. Blake Hoffarber and Paul Carter have missed multiple games because of ankle sprains but will return for the Louisville matchup. They are among five Gophers who have missed games because of injuries this season.

Smith said the team's 10-day layoff for final exams helped.

"We finally have all 13 guys here, healthy," Smith said. "We're pretty healthy at this point in time. It helped not having a game and getting in some time during these days of exams to come in and get some extra treatment."

He figures to need every body he can get today. Louisville's Earl Clark, a 6-9 forward projected to be a lottery pick in next summer's NBA draft, scored 17 points in the first eight minutes of a 77-68 victory over Mississippi on Thursday. Forwards Terrence Williams and Samardo Samuels have the potential to join Clark at the next level. Since a Nov. 30 loss to Western Kentucky, Louisville has won five in a row.

The Gophers know the only way to pull off an upset is to enter the game with plenty of confidence, especially with freshman post players Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III taking on the biggest load of their college basketball careers.

Junior guard Lawrence Westbrook, an Arizona native, compared the matchup to a heavyweight boxing match.

"It's definitely the biggest game of my career," said Westbrook, the team's leading scorer, averaging 14.1 points a game. "We're 9-0. This is the best we've ever been in my career. We have a chance to get a lot of national looks, maybe even ranked off of this game. This is our championship to me. So far."

Assistant coach Vince Taylor was an assistant under Pitino for four seasons. He said Pitino vs. Smith would bring out the competitive juices in every coach and player involved. The high stakes for the Gophers only add to the coaching matchup.

"Obviously, for us it's a test to see how we're progressing," he said. "For Louisville, it's more they're expected to win so it's added pressure on them, too. We want to see where we're at. Because they have a very, very talented team. It'll be intense."