Captains' roller coaster
Two Gophers captains have struggled lately, after showing early promise in Big Ten play:
Nate Mason, junior guard
Went for a career-high 31 points — with 11 assists no less — in the team's 91-82 overtime victory Jan. 1 at Purdue. Since then: He's 16-for-62 from the field, including only 3-for-14 Saturday against Wisconsin.
Jordan Murphy, sophomore forward
Grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds in the Big Ten opener against Michigan State. Since then: He hasn't scored in double figures in five games and is shooting 40.7 percent in the Big Ten. He already has 16 turnovers in conference play, most on the Gophers.
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