Wisconsin @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 6, 2019 ) Wisconsin 56, Minnesota 51

Wisconsin looks to build on its gutsiest win of the season when it visits Minnesota on Wednesday. The Badgers upset No. 14 Michigan State 64-63 on Saturday without two of their top four scorers after Kobe King abruptly announced his decision to enter the transfer portal earlier in the week and Brad Davison was serving a one-game suspension. They hope to continue their dominance of the Golden Gophers by earning their 10th win in the last 11 games in the border rivalry.

“I think the biggest thing was just playing together and playing for each other,” Wisconsin forward Nate Reuvers told reporters. “That’s the kind of message coach Gard always has for us but just kind of emphasized it more after all the events.” Minnesota fell below .500 in Big Ten play following a 59-51 loss to 21st-ranked Illinois on Thursday. The Golden Gophers have dropped three of their last four games to leave them on the outside looking in for a potential NCAA Tournament berth, and they aim to keep their postseason hopes alive by knocking off the Badgers in Minneapolis for the first time since Jan. 22, 2014. “We have to keep fighting for each other,” Minnesota forward Daniel Oturu told reporters. “We have to learn from our mistakes and prepare for a really good Wisconsin team as a win for us would be huge for our confidence going forward.”

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network

ABOUT WISCONSIN (13-9, 6-5 Big Ten): Reuvers scored a team-high 15 points while D’Mitrik Trice, the younger brother of former Michigan State guard Travis Trice, added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists to help the Badgers snap an eight-game losing streak in the series with the Spartans. Aleem Ford tallied 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor while Brevin Pritzl finished with 10 points and seven rebounds as Wisconsin dressed only seven scholarship players. "We knew we had to stick together with a limited number of guys playing,” Trice told reporters. “What this team has been through has been crazy to get this win.”

ABOUT MINNESOTA (11-10, 5-6): Oturu was one of 20 players named to the John Wooden Late Season Award shortlist on Monday, which is given annually to the top player in college basketball. Oturu was the lone Golden Gopher to finish in double figures as he scored a game-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocked shots in the loss to Illinois while Marcus Carr, who is averaging 15.6 points this season, was limited to seven on 3-of-12 shooting from the field. Starting combo guard Payton Willis is questionable after missing the previous game with a shoulder injury.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Minnesota has won six of its last seven home games.

2. Wisconsin is averaging 57.4 points over its last five road contests.

3. Oturu is tied for seventh nationally in rebounds per game (11.1).

PREDICTION: Minnesota 72, Wisconsin 68