Wisconsin Badgers vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Tip-off: Thursday, February 14, 2013 – 7:00 PM ET
Williams Arena, Minneapolis, MN
Bo Ryan has coached the Wisconsin Badgers for over 10 years and in the past his college basketball teams have never have been accused of being too dramatic. However, YouWager experts consider his current team has the potential.
For example, the ugly game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in January.
Coming off an improbable win, the 20th-ranked Wisconsin looks for a fifth straight victory against the struggling Golden Gophers when the Big Ten rivals meet tonight in Minneapolis.
The Badgers’ grind-it-out style and defense-first focus has been extremely positive during Ryan’s tenure, and this campaign has been no different. Wisconsin (17-7, 8-3) leads the Big Ten allowing 56.5 points per game and have knocked off four ranked teams, including a pair of top-5 foes.
Eight of their 11 conference basketball games have been decided by six points or fewer, including each during a three-game winning streak.
Saturday marked yet another tight win for the Badgers, a list that includes a 45-44 home victory over then-No. 12 Golden Gophers on Jan. 26. One of the few shots either team hit was Traevon Jackson’s 15-footer with four seconds left to give Wisconsin the victory.
Minnesota (17-7, 5-6) shot 34.8 percent in that game and have hit less than 40 percent in four of their last six while averaging 56.8 points.
According to the college basketball odds, the Gophers blew a 12-point first-half lead, trailed at the break and shot 38.0 percent in Sunday’s 57-53 home defeat versus the Illinois Fighting Illini that dropped then-No. 18 Golden Gophers out of the Top 25.
Andre Hollins was able to score 16 points and Trevor Mbakwe added 13 and 10 rebounds, though Mbakwe finished with four of Minnesota’s 13 turnovers, including a crucial giveaway with less than a minute remaining.
The Golden Gophers are averaging 52.5 points and shooting 35.4 percent during their losing streak to Wisconsin, that has won 17 of the last 21 meetings.
