Gophers at a glance: The Gophers (16-7, 4-6 Big Ten) looked like they were rolling for a while, winning four out of five games. But when they went to Iowa last week, the Gophers responded with perhaps their sloppiest game yet. Neither team shot even 40 percent from the field, and after the Gophers crawled back from a early 15-3 deficit, they choked a 10-point second-half advantage to lose in the final minutes. The Gophers are still searching for a way to make it to .500 in conference play, and have gotten erratic performances from their whole lineup. If the Gophers are going to compete, they need leadership and consistency.
Nebraska at a glance: In their first season in the Big Ten, the Cornhuskers (11-10, 3-7) have spent the majority of the conference schedule looking as though they are still trying to figure everything out. They might be headed in the right direction after recent victories over Indiana and Iowa. The Huskers, who have dealt with minor illnesses and injuries all season long, are finally getting healthy and the senior-laden lineup is feeling the boost. Bo Spencer leads them with 15.3 points and 2.9 rebounds, and Toney McCray adds 10.3 points and 5.0 rebounds a game. Nebraska is coming off an 84-74 point loss to Northwestern.
