Can the Badgers keep their hot streak going with a rivalry win?
The Wisconsin Badgers take on their Border Battle rivals, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, tonight at 6:00 p.m. on Peacock. The Badgers are 14.5-point favorites tonight.
Wisconsin is coming off their second straight Big Ten win, as the Badgers held off the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 75-63 in Piscataway. The Badgers defense stifled star Rutgers freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey throughout the game. Harper failed to score in 15 minutes of game action, while Bailey tallied nine points and seven rebounds.
What should Badger fans know about the Minnesota Golden Gophers?
Opponent Preview
It’s been a mediocre fourth season under Ben Johnson. The Gophers are 8-7 this year and are 0-4 against Big Ten opponents. Johnson’s crew is coming off a heartbreaking 89-88 double overtime loss to Ohio State at Williams Arena last Monday. Minnesota was in a position to win the game in the first overtime, but an ill-timed foul by Kadyn Betts put the Buckeyes at the line to equalize.
Look away if you’re squeamish pic.twitter.com/FxlPle0Tia
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) January 7, 2025
Minnesota ranks last among Big Ten teams in Ken Pomeroy’s college basketball rankings. The Gophers are 159th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 107th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Johnson’s offense is among the slowest in the country, as they are 360th in adjusted tempo.
Dawson Garcia remains the star on the Gophers team, as he was Minnesota’s lone representative on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. The 6’ 11’’ power forward is sixth in the Big Ten with 18.2 points per game and eleventh with 7.1 rebounds per game. Garcia scored a mere five points against the Buckeyes, so he will be motivated to atone for that performance.
Behind Garcia is senior guard Mike Mitchell Jr., who averages 12.8 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. Mitchell Jr. is one of three Gophers who averages more than three assists per game.
Charlotte transfer guard Lu’Cye Patterson is the Gophers’ top assist-man with 3.9 assists per game, while forward Parker Fox is Minnesota’s top shot-blocker with 1.4 blocks per game. Patterson, Fox, and freshman Isaac Asuma accounted for 59 points in Minnesota’s loss to Ohio State.
Femi Odukale, who leads the Gophers with 1.7 steals per game, is expected to play tonight. According to Marcus Fuller of the Minnesota Star-Tribune, Odukale had been dealing with bruised ribs.
Score Prediction
Wisconsin has won the last five games of the series by a single digit, so Johnson’s Minnesota squads can put up a fight against the Badgers. While the Gophers deserve credit for not quitting during their tough season, Wisconsin’s offense has too much firepower and should overwhelm Minnesota at the Kohl Center tonight.
Prediction: Wisconsin 81-67.