Minnesota @ Rutgers preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Rutgers 70, Minnesota 88

Although a 20-victory campaign is well within reach, Minnesota has wasted a solid start and is quickly putting itself in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. The Golden Gophers attempt to earn only their second win of the month and put a halt to their road woes Sunday when they visit Rutgers in a battle of Big Ten rivals who have dropped five of their last six.

Unlike a year ago when injuries and suspensions wrecked a promising first half of the season, Minnesota's second straight 13-3 start has been ruined mostly by its inability to solve the top half of the conference, going 2-6 against the six Big Ten teams currently inside the Top 25. The Golden Gophers dropped to 0-4 in such games this month following Thursday's 69-60 home loss to No. 7 Michigan, getting outscored 39-3 beyond the arc to fall to 1-5 in February. The Scarlet Knights gave No. 11 Michigan State a scare Wednesday, leading by as many as 11 early in the second half before fading en route to a 71-60 defeat. Rutgers suffered one of its most lopsided losses of the season in its first meeting with Minnesota on Jan. 12, dropping an 88-70 decision without leading scorer and rebounder Eugene Omoruyi, who had dislocated his kneecap in the team's previous contest.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT MINNESOTA (17-10, 7-9 Big Ten): Reigning conference player of the week Jordan Murphy (15.1 points, 12.0 rebounds) posted his league-leading 19th double-double - tied for the second-highest total in the country - after producing 18 points and 15 boards Thursday. Daniel Oturu (11.1 points), who recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 boards versus the Wolverines, leads all conference freshmen in rebounds (7.2), field-goal percentage (55.8) and blocks (1.5). After showing signs of breaking out of his recent shooting and scoring slump with 18 points last weekend, Amir Coffey (14.9 points) endured the worst shooting performance of his college career (2-for-15) and was held under 10 points for the third time in five outings Thursday.

ABOUT RUTGERS (12-14, 5-11): Sophomore Geo Baker (13.2 points) paced the Scarlet Knights with 17 points, six assists and three steals Wednesday and ranks among the top 10 in the conference in steals (1.7, second), minutes (34.0, fifth), assists (4.1, fifth) and 3-pointers per game (2.1, 10th). After averaging 18 points in his first three starts following the knee injury that cost him three games in January, Omoruyi (13.6 points, 7.6 rebounds) is scoring nine points per game over his last four outings. Freshman Ron Harper Jr. (7.0 points) has picked up the slack offensively during Omoruyi's scoring slump, however, averaging 12.3 points, including 27 total points on 10-of-16 shooting in the last two contests.

TIP-INS

1. Rutgers is one win away from matching its best showing in conference play since posting six victories in the Big East during the 2011-12 campaign.

2. Minnesota, which is 1-7 on the road this season, has won eight of the 10 all-time meetings.

3. The Scarlet Knights (13.1) and Gophers (12.3) rank first and second, respectively, in the conference in offensive rebounds.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 67, Minnesota 64