![Minnesota Gophers guard Nate Mason (2) shot as he drove past Rutgers guard Geo Baker (0) in the second half. Mason finished with 26 points. ] JEFF WHEELER ï jeff.wheeler@startribune.com The University of Minnesota men's basketball team defeated Rutgers 89-67 in their Big 10 conference opener Sunday evening, December 3, 2017 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/HZHIBDNLAZUTTRXFBPYXYAVAVQ.jpg?&w=1080)
8 p.m. at Nebraska • Pinnacle Bank Arena • BTN (1130-AM, 103.5 FM)
Victory would be U's first at Lincoln under Pitino
Preview: The No. 14 Gophers (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) enter their second of two early conference games looking to continue their rebound from their only loss of the season. The Gophers beat Rutgers 89-67 on Sunday in their Big Ten opener, four days after losing 86-81 at home to No. 10 Miami (Fla.). The Rutgers victory was Richard Pitino's first in five conference openers as Gophers coach. Minnesota hasn't won on the road against the Cornhuskers since the 2011-12 season, which includes Pitino's 0-3 record in Lincoln. Nebraska (6-3, 0-1) opened Big Ten play with an 86-57 loss at No. 3 Michigan State on Sunday. Huskers coach Tim Miles has a four-game home winning streak against the Gophers, including an 84-59 victory in the last meeting at Nebraska in 2016.
Players to watch: Gophers G Nate Mason scored a season-high 26 points Sunday on 8-for-13 shooting from the field, including 4-for-7 from three-point range. Mason also had seven assists and only one turnover in 36 minutes. … Guard James Palmer Jr. was the only Nebraska player to score in double figures against the Spartans, with 15 points.
Numbers: Nebraska was held to 7-for-40 shooting inside the arc in Sunday's loss at Michigan State. The Cornhuskers rank 13th in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (41.9).
MARCUS FULLER
