Gophers' First Big Ten Game: The Nat'l Runner-Up
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- New coach Rich Pitino and his Gophers will open the Big Ten Conference season with none other than the national runner-up Michigan Wolverines.
The University of Minnesota men's basketball team's 2014 conference schedule was released Wednesday, and it includes a home opener against Michigan on Jan. 2 before playing Purdue on Jan. 5 at Williams Arena.
Minnesota hosts Ohio State (Jan. 16), Wisconsin (Jan. 22), Northwestern (Feb. 1), Indiana (Feb. 8), Illinois (Feb. 19), Iowa (Feb. 25) and Penn State (March 8 or 9). The Gophers don't play Nebraska and Michigan State this season in Minneapolis.
Conference road games include Penn State (Jan. 8), Michigan State (Jan. 11), Iowa (Jan. 19), Nebraska (Jan. 26), Purdue (Feb. 5), Wisconsin (Feb. 13), Northwestern (Feb. 16), Ohio State (Feb. 22), and Michigan (March 1). Minnesota won't travel to play the Illini or the Hoosiers in 2014.
The non-conference schedule has four of the first games at The Barn, and don't forget the Gophers will be getting some sun on Nov. 25-27 playing three games in Maui at the 2013 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational.
