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• When: 3 p.m. today
• Where: Williams Arena, Minneapolis
• Radio: WVFN 730-AM
• TV: ESPN2
• Records: MSU is 12-7, 3-5 Big Ten; Minnesota is 11-7, 4-3.
• Coaches: MSU - Suzy Merchant is 57-30 in her third season at MSU and 258-150 overall in 15 seasons. Minnesota - Pam Borton is 163-80 in her eighth season at Minnesota and 232-126 overall in 12 seasons.
• Series: MSU leads 32-19, but the Gophers defeated the Spartans twice last year and have won four of the past five meetings.
• Last game: MSU defeated Purdue, 72-54, on Thursday at Breslin Center. Minnesota lost at Northwestern, 61-60, on Jan. 17.
• Projected lineups
MSU
Pos. Name PPG
G (20) Brittney Thomas (5-10) 6.9
G (15) Cetera Washington (6-0) 2.5
F (30) Lykendra Johnson (6-1) 9.3
F (32) Kalisha Keane (6-1) 8.8
C (41) Allyssa DeHaan (6-9) 12.2
Minnesota
Pos. Name PPG
G (35) Katie Ohm (5-11) 4.8
G (12) Brittany McCoy (5-10) 7.1
G (30) Kiara Buford (5-10) 14.4
F (45) Jackie Voigt (6-1) 9.3
F (21) Ashley Ellis-Milan (6-2) 10.5
• MSU update: More pressure defense and a more guard-oriented attack worked for the Spartans against the Boilermakers. Though they had 27 turnovers, MSU forced 22 and shot 50 percent from the floor. "I saw people stepping up and wanting the ball, making plays and shooting the ball with confidence and rebounding the ball with confidence," Merchant said. "Overall, I thought we had good energy and good leadership down the stretch." Merchant used a three-guard lineup for a lot of the game and got plenty of production out of Brittney Thomas (16 points, six rebounds) and reserves Porsche Poole (10 points, four assists) and Jasmine Thomas (six points, 10 rebounds) - and the quicker lineup helped disrupt Purdue's guards. DeHaan has now moved within 20 blocks of tying Sandora Irvin's NCAA record of 480 blocks.
• Minnesota update: With a week off after falling to Northwestern, the Gophers should be rested and have some new wrinkles if they are again playing without 5-3 point guard China Antoine, who had knee surgery on Jan. 17 and is out indefinitely. She's averaging 14.3 points as a starter and is listed as a possible starter along with Ohm, who'd be a taller matchup and provides a deft outside shooting threat. Minnesota has been getting minimal production from its bench.
• Prediction: This will be a tough, grind-'em-out kind of a game. MSU hasn't won in Minneapolis since February 2005, but the Spartans can do it if they keep up the pressure on the Gophers' depleted backcourt.
• Make it: MSU 64, Minnesota 58
- Chris Solari
