Gophers men's basketball faces Rutgers, still seeking first Big Ten home win

Gophers update: The Gophers (7-20, 1-16 Big Ten) are looking for their first Big Ten home win this season. The regular season ends with back-to-back home games, including Sunday vs. Wisconsin. Minnesota's program hasn't gone winless in Big Ten play at home in a season since 1932-33. The Gophers are currently on a 12-game losing streak that started after their only conference win this season Jan. 12 at Ohio State. The last home game for the U was a 76-69 loss Feb. 18 vs. Penn State. After that, Minnesota went on a three-game road stretch that resulted in losses at Illinois, Maryland and Nebraska. Dawson Garcia led the Gophers with 11 points and 14 rebounds in Saturday's 78-67 loss against the Cornhuskers in Lincoln.

Rutgers update: The Scarlet Knights (18-11, 10-8) seemed in comfortable shape for an NCAA tournament bid until they dropped four of five games, including three straight losses in February. That made Sunday's 59-56 victory for Rutgers at Penn State even more critical to strengthen its resume. What the Scarlet Knights can't afford is to fall to the last-place Gophers. But they won 90-55 in the first meeting between the two programs this season Feb. 1 in Piscataway, N.J. Cam Spencer led six players in double figures with 17 points that night for Rutgers, which shot 60% from the field and tied a program-Big Ten record with 30 assists vs. Minnesota.