Minnesota has just three games left in the regular season, with the first of those coming tonight at 5pm central time against Indiana. It's Minnesota's second meeting with the Hoosiers this season, having lost 73-60 back in January. Here are three keys to the game if Minnesota hopes to come away with the win tonight.
Physical Defense Down Low
In the previous meeting with Indiana, Minnesota was throwing double teams at Trayce Jackson-Davis, and it resulted in the Gophers getting torched from three in the first half. We saw against Wisconsin how Eric Curry can stand his ground down low and start to play more physical defense, and that has to translate to tonight's game as he faces a talented big man. If Curry can pick up some stops on his own and allow Minnesota's guards to stick to their guys on the perimeter, it should allow them to limit Indiana's open looks from three.
More Depth Than The Previous Matchup
During Minnesota's first game with Indiana this season, only six Gophers scored. Battle, Willis, and Stephens all scored in double figures, but the other three scorers combined for just 10 points. Luke Loewe was also held scoreless in this matchup. That resulted in Minnesota scoring just 60 points as a team, and that's not going to be good enough to beat a team like Indiana. Luke Loewe has been stepping up over this past month, so his continued contributions will be key in this game. Especially against Wisconsin, Minnesota was playing unselfish basketball resulting in a lot of assists. If they can keep this ball movement going, it should result in more players getting open looks, and more players getting on the board.
Keep Jamison Battle's Momentum Going
After going through a shooting slum earlier this month, Jamison Battle has found his rhythm and has had a few strong scoring nights in a row leading up to this game. If Minnesota hopes to come away with a win, they're going to need him to keep scoring the ball in a variety of ways. Jamison is at his best when he's getting shots at all three levels. We know he can hit the three, but against Wisconsin he also showed he can get to the rack for some explosive dunks. When Battle looks to score in the paint, it opens up his game on the perimeter as well, as it keeps defenders honest.
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