MVP

Talor Battle, Penn State

Not discouraged despite constant taunting following two air balls, Penn State's senior guard kept shooting. His three-pointer from the corner with 1:37 to play gave the Nittany Lions a 59-57 lead. They never trailed again. He scored a game-high 22 points, giving him 50 points in two outings vs. the Gophers this season.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 Five-game losing streak for Tubby Smith, his first since becoming a Division I head coach in 1991. He's also in danger of ending his streak of 17 seasons with at least 20 victories.

4 Seasons since the Gophers lost five games in a row. Dan Monson was fired after losing five consecutive games during the 2006-07 season. That year ended with nine consecutive losses.

2 Three-pointers for the Gophers in 15 attempts. It was their fifth Big Ten game this season with only two three-pointers. They were the top three-point shooting team (40.5 percent) in the Big Ten last season.

MYRON P. MEDCALF