Can the Gophers continue their strong play on the road? I was skeptical they would beat Maryland and while they ended up covering as 1.5-point favorites, it's hard to overlook their 22-point first-half showing in that game. I don't think the wheels are coming off this Hoosiers team, either. The loss at Rutgers was painful for IU faithful, but the Scarlet Knights were ready to win ugly. Indiana can't shoot the basketball as poorly as it did against Rutgers, but I credit the Knights for their defensive performance.

Minnesota is undoubtedly on the rise but it's hardly prepared for the environment it will face tomorrow at Assembly Hall. Indiana needs to get back on track Friday, as its upcoming schedule features consecutive games against ranked teams: vs. #1 Purdue, at #15 Wisconsin, and at #10 Illinois. The Hoosiers risk falling to the back of the pack in the conference standings if they don't respond versus Minnesota.

I'll bet on Indiana to come up with the key stops down the stretch to win and cover.