Hoosiers set sights on Golden Gophers

Minnesota guard Terrance Simmons said before the season started that the Gophers just wanted to have fun this year. They weren't interested in wins and losses because the team doesn't have a lot of talent. \n"We need to go out there and have more fun and create a positive attitude," Simmons said. "We realize we can't compete with everybody in this conference, but we know that we can go and upset guys like Michigan State, Illinois and Indiana."\nAn academic fraud scandal in 1998, which was resolved last fall, is finally in the past, but it left the cupboard a little bare. The Gophers have only nine scholarship players.\n"It was like a huge storm," Minnesota coach Dan Monson said before the season. "But now, the clouds are starting to break up and you can see a little sunlight."\nSimmons certainly didn't expect to be having this much fun this late in the season. The Gophers (14-3, 2-2 Big Ten) are playing better than any expert predicted. Their only losses came against No. 9 Georgetown in Hawaii, at No. 11 Illinois and at Ohio State. They defeated No. 19 Wisconsin at home and outlasted Purdue at home Wednesday.\n"They have a good coach and really good guards," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "Simmons is good and (Dusty) Rychart is a mismatch at the center, because he's really a small forward."\nThe Hoosiers play at 12:47 p.m. Saturday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The game will be televised by ESPN-Plus after the presidential inauguration. \nDavis said he sees a weakness he feels IU can exploit -- in the post. Minnesota's tallest starter is 6-foot-7 Travarus Bennett. IU freshman forward Jared Jeffries stands 6-foot-9 and junior forward Kirk Haston is 6-foot-10.\n"What we have to do, is really expose them on the inside like we did against Penn State," Davis said. "They don't have a big guy in the middle. They're missing an inside presence."\nTo do that, Jeffries and Haston will need to play well, as will forwards sophomore Jeffrey Newton and junior Jarrad Odle, who did not play against Penn State. \nDavis said he wanted to send them the message that they need to play hard when on the floor. He said Newton played well in practice Thursday. But have they learned their lesson?\n"We'll see," Davis said. "Hopefully, because we need them to play."\nDavis isn't certain who will start, but he said he will begin the game with three guards and two forwards, most likely Haston and Jeffries. Freshman guard A.J. Moye, who gave the Hoosiers a spark Wednesday night, will most likely be the first off the bench again Saturday, Davis said.\n"I think we can win at least the next three or four games," Davis said. "My point is that we surprised everyone when we beat Michigan State. Imagine how surprised they would be if we run the table"