Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Week 9 power rankings

By Blaine Lewallen

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 29: Jordan Murphy
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 29: Jordan Murphy /

After thinking that the Gophers may be turning things around after a couple of questionable weeks, this team is in trouble – big trouble. Minnesota is lucky to be as high as No. 6 in the power rankings, and will likely continue to fall.

The reason for this is because, within a week, the Golden Gophers lost two of their stud starters. As mentioned last week, center Reggie Lynch (10.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 4.1 bpg) is likely gone for the season due to suspension amid sexual misconduct claims. Then, sophomore Amir Coffey (14.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg) went down with a shoulder injury in the win over Illinois last Wednesday that will likely keep him out for multiple weeks, according to Richard Pitino.

These are brutal losses for the Gophers, and it really showed in their 75-71 home loss against the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday. This was a game that Minnesota should have won, but instead, they blew it. They really could have used both Coffey and Lynch out there, as the Gophers just couldn’t make key plays down the stretch to pull out the W.

Nate Mason (16.0 ppg, 4.6 apg) had 22 points, while Jordan Murphy (18.9 ppg, 12.7 rpg) and Dupree McBrayer (9.6 ppg) each had 18 for Minnesota. Outside of these guys, though, the Gophers received just 13 points. This is a major concern, as the Gophers lost over 24 points per game with the losses of Lynch and Coffey. Guys will really have to step up, and fast, or the Gophers season will continue to go downhill. Murphy and Mason will have to be huge on a nightly basis as well.

Schedule for this week:

Minnesota at Northwestern (10-7, 1-3) on Jan. 10

Purdue (15-2, 4-0) at Minnesota on Jan. 13

Minnesota at Penn State (12-5, 2-2) on Jan. 15

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