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Minnesota Basketball: Gophers open Big Ten Tournament with Rutgers - OPEN THREAD

First round Big Ten Tournament Action in New York City, Gophers vs. Rutgers

By GopherNation
NCAA Basketball: Iowa at Minnesota Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

When

6:55

How

BTN

The season is mercifully near it’s end for Gopher basketball. But team has one last shot to earn a win or two, the Big Ten Tournament. Up first is a very beatable Rutgers team. Beatable, even without half of our contributing roster available to us.

KEYS TO A GOPHER WIN

  • Find a way to score - The Rutger defense is OK, not all that good in the Big Ten but it was OK for the season. Nate Mason found 26 points and Jordan Murphy got himself to the line 14 times in the first meeting. However it happens, find a way to score, cause the Scarlet Knight offense is awful.
  • Freshman Guards - Being back in New York, I hope to see a big game from Isaiah Washington and maybe Jamir Harris will hit two or three from behind the arc. Those would both be huge contributions towards a win.
  • Rebound - Not exactly a strength of ours with only Jordan Murphy as a viable option in the paint, but Rutgers’ offense is terrible, they will miss a lot of shots. Get the rebound and end possessions. This is huge.

PREDICTION

Rutgers isn’t very good. Neither is this version of the Gophers. Jordan Murphy and Nate Mason are going to be the two best players on the floor, and they need to make sure the Gophers win this one.

Minnesota - 65
Rutgers 59

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