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Minnesota Basketball: Three keys to beating #3 Purdue and how to watch today’s Big Ten game

Can Gopher hoops take down the Big Ten’s top team?

NCAA Basketball: Nebraska at Minnesota Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Barn

6:00 PM

ESPN2

Purdue

This Purdue team is good. Very good. A single loss to Rutgers by a single point is their only blemish. This team is a very real Final Four contender.

Purdue Boilermakers

Record: 17-1 (6-1)
KenPom Rank: 5

The real question is, will the Barnyard storm the court after this win?

KEYS TO A GOPHER WIN

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Get a body on Edey - Last time out Edey had 31 points and 22 rebounds. The entire Gopher team had 21 rebounds. He also had 31 points. It was not a great game for the Gopher interior defense. but also Edey is elite.

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Get to the free throw line - And make some free throws. Something needs to go right tonight in a way that isn’t the usual. We actually shot well and scored plenty of points at Purdue in the first game. Maybe getting them into some foul trouble and making some free throws will help.

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Pray - Maybe Purdue will look past the Gophers. Maybe they are looking ahead to Maryland on Sunday. Maybe Edey gets a stomach bug and has to miss the game along with 3 other starters.

PREDICTION

Not a favorable matchup for the Gophers.

I remember my first game at the Barn was Purdue bringing Glen Robinson to face Voshon Lenard’s Gophers. Was a great game and I was able to watch one of the Big Ten’s best. I hope tonight is also a good game and we enjoy watching one of the best teams in the country.

Minnesota - 68
Purdue - 82