As the calendar flips to February, Penn State still is searching for its first victory in Big Ten Conference play.
The Nittany Lions (9-12, 0-10) have a chance to start a new month on a more positive note when they tip off against Minnesota (10-11, 3-7) on Sunday afternoon in State College, Pa.
Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said the key will be to extend bursts of solid play across a full 40-minute game.
“We’ve had some good moments where we played good basketball against some really good teams,” Rhoades said. “(It was a) brutal schedule we had to start the Big Ten. … But I’m not making an excuse.”
The Nittany Lions have lost eight games in a row, and they are coming off of a 94-73 loss on the road against Northwestern on Thursday night. Penn State is seeking its first win since Dec. 29, when it beat North Carolina Central at home.
Minnesota also is looking to snap a drought. The Golden Gophers have lost six straight games, including a 67-63 setback at Wisconsin on Wednesday night.
Minnesota’s top scorer, Cade Tyson, did not play against Wisconsin because of an ankle injury. His status is uncertain for Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Gophers had only seven scholarship players available for their last game.
“Obviously, we’re really short-handed,” Minnesota coach Niko Medved said. “But the guys, like they’ve always done, came in (against Wisconsin) ready to fight.
“… We’ve been in a lot of these, and at some point, we’ve got to find a way to focus and cut down on the mistakes. We’ve got to play through them and be better.”
Minnesota forward Bobby Durkin will look to stay hot after scoring a season-high 20 points in his most recent game. He is averaging 9.0 points per game this season.
Penn State is led by Kayden Mingo, who is averaging 14.1 points on 46.6% shooting.
Rhoades said better days are ahead for the Nittany Lions.
“We have guys that care about the right stuff,” he said. “Now we have to get over the hump, and I think we will.”
