GOPHERS MEN'S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
Gophers vs. Indiana: 5:30 p.m. Friday at Assembly Hall; TV: FSN1; radio: 103.5-FM
Pregame reading: Ben Johnson is winning with local talent, just as Mark Coyle had hoped.
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Marcus Fuller's preview:
Opening bell: The Gophers (12-3, 3-1 Big Ten) have the longest win streak among Big Ten teams after Purdue fell earlier in the week at Nebraska. The seven straight victories entering Friday at Indiana is the longest under Ben Johnson, who opened his tenure 7-0 in 2021-22. The U also won eight straight during Big Ten play in 2016-17. The Hoosiers (11-5, 3-2) lost two of their first three league games in January, but those were road games at Nebraska and Rutgers. They're 8-1 at home this season — only losing 75-71 to No. 2 Kansas.
Watch him: Indiana has the most productive frontcourt duo in the Big Ten with Malik Reneau and Kel'el Ware combining for 31 points and 15 rebounds per game. Reneau leads the Hoosiers with 16.3 points, including a 34-point game this season. Ware, a 7-foot Oregon transfer, had 13 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks in Tuesday's loss at Rutgers.
Injuries: Xavier Johnson and Reneau were both listed as questionable before Tuesday's game, but they both played for the Hoosiers.
Forecast: Asking the Gophers to win in Bloomington for the first time since 2012 is a tall task. Indiana doesn't appear to be a Big Ten title contender, but the Hoosiers are loaded with talent. Assembly Hall is the toughest environment Johnson's players have seen yet this season. But the Gophers might be able to pull off the upset if they can keep it close in the end. Their past two victories were by a combined five points.
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