LINCOLN, Neb. -- Redshirt sophomore center Eric Curry, who missed the first 12 games this season after knee surgery, was out for the second straight game Wednesday with a calf injury.
Curry, who is averaging 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 19.5 minutes this season, was limited to two points and one rebounds in 28 minutes combined in his last two games against Purdue and Wisconsin earlier this month.
The 6-foot-9 Memphis native had been showing progress in January and scored a season-best 11 points in a Jan. 19 win against Penn State. But freshman Daniel Oturu, who is averaging 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and a team-high 1.6 blocks, replace Curry in the lineup.
"It's not as simple as people think when you lose a guy who was starting for you," Gophers coach Richard Pitino said. "Matz (Stockman), Mike (Hurt) and Jarvis (Omersa) have got to step up. When you lose a guy who helped you win 24 games two years ago, it's a factor."
Stockman, a 7-foot senior, played 16 minutes Saturday against Michigan State with Curry's absence. He scored six points and grabbed four rebounds off the bench. Omersa, a 6-7 freshman, also played for the first time in four games with six minutes against the Spartans.
