How to Watch Indiana's Game With Minnesota on Wednesday, Gametime, TV, Point Spread
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Race Thompson grew up 20 minutes from the University of Minnesota campus, and his father Darrell is a Gophers football legend. So it should come as no surprise that Wednesday night's game against Minnesota means just a little more to him.
"This one definitely means a little more to me,'' Thompson said Tuesday. "My dad went there, my brother went there. They recruited me. It means a lot.''
This one means a lot to all his teammates too, because it's the start of a big week for Indiana, two home games that they will be favorites to win. Now they need to play like that.
Minnesota was ranked earlier this year, but they've lost six of their last nine games and all but one has been by at least 12 points. They are 0-7 on the road in the Big Ten, too, so you catch the drift. This is a game the Hoosiers have to win.
Here are the particulars on Wednesday's game:
- Who: Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-8 overall, 6-8 in the Big Ten) at Indiana Hoosiers (11-9 overall, 6-7 in the Big Ten).
- When: 9 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Feb. 17
- Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind.
- Latest Line: Indiana is a 6.5-point favorite over Minnesota, according to the DraftKings.com website as of 2 .m. ET on Wednesday. The over/under is 137. UPDATE -- No Gabe Kalschur or Liam Robbins in early warmups, but now Robbins is on the floor 30 minutes before tip.
- Poll rankings: Both teams are unranked in this week's poll. The Gophers were ranked for five straight weeks this season starting on Dec. 28, getting as high as No. 16 in the AP poll. They fell out of the rankings in the Feb. 1 poll.
- Kenpom.com rankings: Indiana fell one spot to No. 28 in the Kenpom rankings after Sunday's loss at Ohio State. Minnesota checks in at No. 40.
- Series history: Indiana leads 103-69. The Hoosiers have won five straight in the series in Bloomington, not losing at home since January of 2012.
- Last meeting: Indiana beat Minnesota 72-67 on March 4, 2020 in Bloomington.
- TV: Big Ten Network
- Announcers: Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play) and Stephen Bardo (color commentary)
- Radio: Indiana Radio Network
- Announcers: Don Fischer, Errek Suhr and Joe Smith
- Streaming: IUHoosiers.com/broadcast
Here are three things I want to see from the Hoosiers against Northwestern on Wednesday:
1. Play like a favorite for a change
Indiana comes into the game as a modest favorite, and that's been the case on multiple occasions so far this season at Assembly Hall, but not always with great results. They are 3-4 at home in Big Ten games, but have lost as favorites to Northwestern and Purdue.
The large homecourt advantage that Assembly Hall usually provides just isn't there with any fans in the stands this season. This is the perfect situation where Indiana is the better team, and they need to play like it.
2. And speaking of opening tips ...
The Hoosiers have been notoriously slow starters all season, and lately it's been crazy in double-digit deficits early in the first half in games against Iowa, Northwestern and Ohio State. That has to change, right now.
Indiana coach Archie Miller praises leading scorer Trayce Jackson-Davis all the time, but he's also been quick to point out that his slow starts have hurt the Hoosiers. He's missed several shots right around the basket, usually from rushing too much, or trying to force things. After two misses to open the Ohio State game, he went 10-for-12 from the field the rest of the way. I know I've said this a lot lately, but Trayce is due for a breakout game soon, and this could be it. With Minnesota 7-footer Liam Robbins hobbled with an ankle injury, look for a 28/12 kind of night from Jackson-Davis.
3. Guards get out of their funk
Starters Al Durham, Rob Phinisee and Armaan Franklin have not been good from the field lately, and it's been a problem. They started out a combined 1-for-23 in the win against Iowa before Phinisee and Franklin hit huge shots in the closing minutes. They were all horrible too at Northwestern, then got hot to get the Hoosiers back in the game. They struggled at Ohio State too.
That needs to stop against a Minnesota team that will give them some room to play. Franklin gets a bit of a pass because he's been dealing with an ankle injury, but if you're out there, you need to deliver. Durham hit some huge shots to beat Northwestern, but he needs to get hot and stay hot early. And Phinisee, well, he's really struggling, just 2-for-12 from three in his last four games. He needs to be the player everyone knows he can be.
