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The Northwestern Wildcats Fell To 12-7 After Their Loss At Minnesota
The Northwestern Wildcats' quest for the NCAA Tournament took a bit of a stumble this week when the team was blown out on the road vs. the Wisconsin Badgers, but the team can get back on track, and notch a much needed road win, on Saturday vs the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game may be double important considering that both teams may be in the group battling it out for the Big Ten's final tournament spot, and a head-to-head victory could go a long way in moving the Wildcats up the pecking order.
The Gophers, for their part, started off Big Ten play with four straight losses, but have picked it up recently with two straight wins over the Indiana Hoosiers and Penn State Nittany Lions, both on the road. The team is led by senior forward Trevor Mbakwe, who is averaging 14 points and nine rebounds on the season. As a group, the Gophers are extremely efficient from the field, and their 47% shooting as a team is good for 40th in the NCAA.
Game date/time: Sunday, January 22, 2012, 2:00 p.m. CST
Location: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Odds: Minnesota favored by 5.5
For more on this game, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on Northwestern, head over to Sippin' on Purple, and for more Golden Gophers, check out The Daily Gopher. For news and updates around the country, check out SB Nation's college basketball news hub.
Northwestern Vs. Minnesota Score Update: Wildcats Fall 75-52
After delivering its biggest win of the season with an 81-74 victory over Michigan St., Northwestern has seen its momentum evaporate with two straight losses. The most recent came against the struggling Minnesota Golden Gophers, as the Wildcats fell 75-52 in Minneapolis.
Northwestern had no answer for the Minnesota offense, as the Golden Gophers hit 57.7% of their shots from the field. All five Minnesota starters scored in double-figures, with Joe Coleman leading the way with 16 points. Julian Welch added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists in the victory.
In the loss, John Shurna was the only player able to get anything going for Northwestern. Shurna scored a game-high 21 points on 8/20 shooting from the field. However, he was one of only two Wildcats to score in double-figures, with Alex Marcotullio adding 11 points off the bench.
For more on this game, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on Northwestern, head over to Sippin' on Purple, and for more Golden Gophers, check out The Daily Gopher. For news and updates around the country, check out SB Nation's college basketball news hub.
Jan 22 5:16p by Max Mandel