Gameday preview: Gophers at Rutgers

Gophers (8-21, 2-15 Big Ten): Joey King will not play because of a fractured right foot. Kevin Dorsey, Dupree McBrayer and Nate Mason will not play because they were suspended for the season after a sex video appeared on Dorsey's social media accounts. So that leaves five scholarship players and walk-on Stephon Sharp in Richard Pitino's rotation, with two other walk-ons available if needed. Freshman Jordan Murphy and Sharp had solid games against Wisconsin on Wednesday night, scoring 15 and 16 points respectively. The Gophers had won two in a row before the suspensions and now have lost their past two without the three guards. On the full season stat sheet, the first (Mason), third (King), fourth (Carlos Morris, dismissed from the team in February), fifth (Dorsey), sixth (McBrayer) top scorers will not play Saturday. Following Saturday, the Gophers will play Wednesday in the Big Ten tournament. They will be the No. 13 seed, going up against No. 12 seed (either Illinois or Penn State) in the tournament's first game (3:30 p.m., ESPN2). The Gophers are 5-0 all-time vs. Rutgers.

Rutgers (6-24, 0-17): The Scarlet Knights have a 32-game losing streak against conference teams, but they might be able to snap that streak Saturday against the shorthanded Gophers. Freshmen Corey Sanders and Jonathan Laurent combined to score 33 points on Wednesday against Michigan State. D.J. Foreman had a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) in the Gophers' 83-61 win on Feb. 23 at Williams Arena.

Staff reports