Hoosiers eye Gophers

Four consecutive losses at Williams Arena won't go away. \nIU gets a chance to exorcise the Minnesota demons at 4:30 p.m. Saturday when it invades Minneapolis for the only meeting of the season between the Hoosiers and Golden Gophers. Last season, IU maintained a nine-point lead for much of the second half, then blew a double-digit advantage in the final three minutes. \nThis season, both teams are near the top of the Big Ten standings. IU bounced rival Purdue 66-52 Thursday night in Bloomington. Wednesday, Minnesota turned back Penn State 94-70 in Williams Arena, where the Gophers are 11-1 this season and also where they upset co-Big Ten leader Ohio State nearly one week ago. \nIU (14-6, 7-1 Big Ten) hasn't won in "The Barn," the affectionate name given to the Gophers' home court, since 1996. A Minnesota press and missed opportunities zapped IU last season. Minnesota forced overtime, then hit only one field goal in the extra frame. But the Gophers hit 7-of-8 free throws to steal the win. \n"We were up 13 and just broke down," junior guard Kyle Hornsby said. "I know I missed a little chip shot and I missed a lay-up and I remember how bad I felt going into the locker room. That was even worse than (blowing a 17-point halftime lead at) Iowa."\nThe Gophers (12-7, 5-3) haven't lost much from the team that surprised the Hoosiers, but have added 6-foot-10 freshman Rick Rickert, who scored 26 points against Penn State. He also scored 24 in a come-from-behind win at Purdue earlier this month. \nJunior Dusty Rychart and sophomore Michael Bauer also average double figures for coach Dan Monson. Four Gopher starters are 6-foot-7 or taller, which could pose problems for IU, which starts three guards. \nIt will also mark IU's second game in three days. Ohio State found itself in the same predicament last week when it beat Michigan Thursday and immediately traveled to Minneapolis. The Gophers put together a late spurt and coasted to an 89-71 win. \nIU coach Mike Davis is trying to figure out how to avoid the same scenario.\n"You have to know you're going into hostile environment," he said. "Playing Thursday and Saturday, what you have to do is make sure to play with a will that will enable you to win the basketball game."\nThe game will feature a matchup of the Big Ten's Co-Players of the Week in IU's Jared Jeffries and Minnesota's Travarus Bennett. Bennett scored 21 points in the win over Ohio State and averages 8.7 for the season. He shoots 47 percent from the three-point line. \nMonson is pleased with the development of his squad, which is sitting alone in third place in the league, and Bennett is one of the reasons.\n"Bennett is a sneaky, tough player in that he's quiet," Monson said. "Yet he's around the ball a lot and active."\nStopping the spread-out IU offense is something else occupying Monson's mind. \nIU hit a Big Ten-record 17 three pointers against Illinois Saturday, but reversed the trend against Purdue by attacking the bucket from inside the paint. IU didn't hit a three pointer during the first half\nThursday and didn't attempt one until less than four minutes remained. IU's only three-point bucket came from Jeffries. The lone three tied for the lowest long-range output for IU this season. The Hoosiers also hit just one three-pointer in a 61-54 win over Penn State. \nStill, Monson is concerned.\n"It's going to be tough to defend them," Monson said. "(Outside shooting) gives Jeffries so much room to operate inside. They have so much balance. You can't just go in and say 'We stop Jared Jeffries, and Indiana's going to shut down.'"\nThe Hoosiers are merely worried about fixing the problems they've long had at Williams Arena. The experienced guard play that failed IU in Minneapolis last season has led IU to its best conference start since it last won the title in 1993. They're hoping that quest will continue Saturday.\n"We haven't beat them at Minnesota in a long time," Davis said. "Hopefully, if we're in the same situation, it turns out different. We're ready"