Two Saturdays ago, the Minnesota Golden Gophers were riding high after winning three of four games, including impressive victories over USC and UCLA. Now, after back-to-back losses, their postseason hopes are in jeopardy.
On Tuesday, Northwestern, who had lost 10 of its last 14 games, dominated the Gophers in a 75-63 defeat at Williams Arena. Minnesota never led, and Northwestern controlled the game, leaving the Gophers with little margin for error in their final three games.
Head coach Ben Johnson, frustrated yet calm, acknowledged his team’s struggles: “We’re mentally stuck right now, and that’s something we need to fight through.” This loss marked their fourth straight at home, with Minnesota’s record at Williams Arena falling to 10-8 and just 2-7 in conference play.
Johnson believes his team has the mental toughness but needs consistency to succeed. “We’ve proven we can play well on the road,” he said. “We just haven’t been able to sustain it.”
With three games remaining—only one at home—Minnesota must find its rhythm. The Gophers are just one game ahead of Penn State for the final Big Ten Tournament spot, and their upcoming match against Nebraska will be crucial as they look to stay in the postseason race.
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