![Minnesota Timberwolves guard D'Angelo Russell (0) before Saturday night's game against the LA Clippers. ] Aaron Lavinsky • aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com The Minnesota Timberwolves played the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/UPEI4AETMTFHW55MJOBOVUUWUI.jpg?&w=1080)
• The Gophers women's basketball team has been creeping up in the standings thanks to a three-game winning streak, and a win over Michigan on Monday at Williams Arena would add more credence to the turnaround and potential NCAA tournament chances for Lindsay Whalen's squad.
• Twins pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to spring training in Florida on Tuesday, which always seems to do more than any groundhog's shadow for the notion that winter could be on its way out the door soon.
• The phrase "make hay while the sun shines" might not be particularly apt for the dead of winter, but as a proverb it's a good description of the Wild's schedule. Minnesota finishes a stretch of 11 games at home out of 12 overall with three more at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. After that, it's 14 of 24 on the road to finish the season.
• The Wolves' next home game is Wednesday against Charlotte, the final game before the All-Star break and what could be the home debut for new guard D'Angelo Russell. He missed Saturday with a quad contusion, but the injury isn't considered serious. He did play in his final game with Golden State before Thursday's trade.
• The Gophers men's basketball team hosts the Hawkeyes at noon Sunday, and with any luck we'll have Iowa results promptly at the conclusion of the game. It's another big one for Minnesota, which finds itself in a familiar place near the NCAA tournament bubble in a conference full of quality opponents.
