IU takes four-game skid to Minnesota

The IU men's basketball team (9-6, 0-2) looks for its first conference win of the season in its first game of 2011 when it travels to Minnesota to take on the No. 13 Golden Gophers (11-3, 0-2) at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Prior to two consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Michigan State, Minnesota's only loss had been at home to Virginia. The Hoosiers are currently on a four-game losing streak, most recently falling at home to No. 2 Ohio State.

History: IU has lost four of its last five matchups with Minnesota, with its only victory coming in an 81-78 overtime decision at home last season. In the second meeting last year, the Golden Gophers routed the Hoosiers 81-58 in Minneapolis. IU leads the all-time series 92-64.

Player to watch - IU: Jordan Hulls, sophomore guard.

Hulls has scored double-digit points in his last three games, scoring 12 points in the loss to Ohio State on Friday. IU coach Tom Crean is still trying to find the perfect balance for Hulls between shooter and distributor, but he hasn't hit five assists in his past five games. Hulls is carving out more of a niche as a scoring threat, ranking second in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage. Going up against a Minnesota team with size, success with the outside shot will be at a premium. Hulls has established himself as the man to go to for that success.

Player to watch - Minnesota: Trevor Mbakwe, redshirt junior forward.

Recruited by Crean to play at Marquette, Mbakwe is in his first season with Minnesota after transferring from Miami Dade College. He played just one season with Crean's former employer and made the move to junior college where he won a Southern Conference Championship. Back with the big boys, Mbakwe is proving to be the force inside Crean always knew he could be. He is averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds per game, averaging 26 minutes of playing time. In the young Big Ten season, Mbakwe is the team's leading scorer with 14 points per game.

Numbers game - 16.6.

The average margin of defeat IU has suffered in its last three losses at Minnesota. Sandwiched between a 61-42 loss in 2006 and a 62-54 loss last year, the Hoosiers last defeated the Golden Gophers on the road in Jan. 2008 by five points.

What they're saying: Junior guard Verdell Jones on playing Big Ten road games.

"It's a whole different level. We played at Boston College and there weren't that many fans there. We played at Kentucky, and that was a heck of an environment. But in the Big Ten, you're playing for postseason right now. Minnesota is 0-2 just like we are, so they're thirsty for a win, and we're at their place so it's going to be a hostile crowd that hates you. So you've just got to go in there and not play like a freshman."

-By Ryan Winn (rrwinn@indiana.edu)