MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Gophers basketball team’s Big Ten season is again an anticipated event.

On Thursday the Barn will rock when Michigan comes to town.

The reason? The Gophers have been and will be competitive with their many weapons. And one of those is junior Austin Hollins’ shooter’s touch.

There are nights you can’t explain. Hollins had one of those nights against Northwestern when he not only hit five straight 3-pointers, but did it on five consecutive possessions.

“I’ve been in the zone before, but I’ve never hit five straight 3s like that in a game,” he said. “It was pretty exciting.”

And they need that from him.

“That’s what we except from him,” senior Trevor Mbakwe said. “Hopefully it continues if we want to go far this year.”

It’s the mindset of a gym rat who knows the more shots you put up in practice, the better your chances are to become a great shooter.

“It’s definitely about time in the gym,” Hollins said. “I have been working on my shot and adjusting a few things here and there.”

When it is converted in a game, it’s a thing of beauty. But the team’s calling card may just be defense, and converting it into offense.

“We get a lot of points in transition,” Hollins said. “We like to force turnovers and run.”

Only 250 student tickets remain for Thursday’s game. And you know it’s big if Dick Vitale is coming to town to call the game on ESPN2.

And as far as the postseason goes, current bracketology puts the Gophers as No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.