Preview: The ninth-seeded Gophers (17-13) play No. 8 seed Northwestern (17-12) in the first round of the Big Ten tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Wildcats beat the Gophers 68-57 in Evanston, Ill., March 2. The Gophers won their Jan. 26 meeting at Williams Arena 81-70; they have won only once since.
The Gophers will win because ... They have secured some of their biggest victories under Tubby Smith on neutral floors. This season, they beat North Carolina and West Virginia in Puerto Rico; past seasons saw them beat Louisville, Butler, Michigan State and Purdue. Plus, they have nothing to lose right now. Their NCAA tournament hopes have evaporated. They are just trying to end the year on a good note.
The Gophers will lose because ... They have lost nine of their past 10 games, and according to Smith, they will continue to play without senior point guard Al Nolen (fractured foot). Having three true freshmen -- Austin Hollins, Chip Armelin and Maverick Ahanmisi -- play in their first Big Ten tournament won't help the Gophers regain their confidence.
