Preview: The Gophers (7-1) have had 10 days off. After a 10-day break in November, the Gophers struggled early before triumphing over Iowa State Nov. 20. They face another tough opponent in Santa Clara after a lengthy break. And the Broncos (7-4) have already played 11 games, including a 74-48 loss to Stanford on Wednesday. Minnesota will face a stiff test to end its nonconference home schedule.
Gameday: Gophers men vs. Santa Clara
December 22, 2007 at 3:39AM
Key players: The bottom line for the Broncos is that their game operates around 6-10 junior center John Bryant, who averages 20 points per game, even though he plays 25.8 minutes per game. Although he struggled against Stanford's twin towers, Brook and Robin Lopez, he finished the game with 17 points and nine rebounds against the future NBA players. Minnesota senior center Spencer Tollackson will be responsible for trying to contain Bryant. Tollackson's defense will have a big impact on the final outcome.
Numbers: The Gophers shoot more than one three-pointer (22.2 per game) every two minutes of a game. They've made 37.6 percent of their three-point attempts. The Broncos have made 50.9 percent of their shot attempts this season.
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At 6-3 and 4-2 in the Big Ten, the Gophers are having a season reminiscent of their 2021 and 2022 teams, which came within a game of the Big Ten West title.
