Gophers-Wisconsin men's basketball game preview
February 19, 2018 at 6:13AM
Badgers coming off upset
Preview: The Gophers (14-14, 3-12 Big Ten) enter Monday's border battle against Wisconsin on an eight-game losing streak, their longest since they lost 14 in a row during the 2015-16 season. Coach Richard Pitino announced the latest injury blow Saturday, saying that sophomore G Amir Coffey will miss the remainder of the season to undergo surgery on his right shoulder. Coffey has missed 10 games this season, including the past five. Junior G Dupree McBrayer, who has missed the past two games because of a lower left leg injury, will be a game-time decision. Coffey and McBrayer have missed 15 games combined. The Badgers (12-16, 5-10) have played without two of their best backcourt players since December. Starting PG D'Mitrik Trice hasn't returned since foot surgery, and G Kobe King is out for the year because of knee surgery. Wisconsin leaned on its defense to upset No. 6 Purdue on Thursday. The Boilermakers were held to 39.6 percent shooting, including 4-for-17 from three-point range.
Players to watch: Gophers freshman G Isaiah Washington has taken advantage of his expanded role with Coffey and McBrayer limited or absent. In the past five games, Washington is averaging 16.6 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, shooting 87.5 percent from the foul line, 47 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range in 31.8 minutes. Wisconsin junior forward Ethan Happ is averaging 25.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in his past three games, which included 21 points and 12 rebounds in UW's 57-53 win over Purdue.
Numbers: The Gophers have lost seven in a row to Wisconsin, last beating the Badgers on Jan. 22, 2014, at the Barn. They have not won at the Kohl Center since a 78-74 overtime victory in 2009.
MARCUS FULLER
about the writer
The PVF will begin its second season in January, and that’s something Lydia Grote can look forward to after the Gophers’ season ends.
