Preview: The Gophers (13-4, 2-3 Big Ten) will face Iowa (7-9, 0-4) at the Barn. The Gophers are coming off their first home win over a top-10 program in more than a decade, a victory against eighth-ranked Purdue on Thursday. Iowa has come close to victory, but it's still seeking its first conference win.
Why the Gophers will win: If they can beat Purdue, they can beat any team in this league. They're clearly more comfortable at home. And Tubby Smith said he wants Blake Hoffarber to get more touches, after he scorched the Boilermakers for 26 points. Plus, Minnesota's size should frustrate Iowa.
Why the Gophers will lose: Because they don't handle success very well. They won the Puerto Rico Tipoff but struggled in what were supposed to be easy nonconference games at home. Iowa held its own against Ohio State. And the Hawkeyes are hungry.
