--It seemed absurd a month ago, but Minnesota's NCAA Tournament star might be flickering. Just a few weeks ago, the Gophers seemed like a lock to secure a No. 3 or No. 4 seed. Minnesota is no longer a lock to even make the tournament.

The Gophers have now lost six of nine because they can't get into their offense, putting points at a premium.

Through a discouraging 68-63 loss at Penn State on Feb. 15, the Gophers had registered more turnovers than assists in four consecutive games. All that went right throughout the non-conference portion of the schedule and the first turn through the Big Ten had fallen apart on Minnesota. The Gophers beat Penn State, for example, by 20 points on Jan. 11.

"I thought we had a pretty good ball-handling team," Gophers coach Tubby Smith said. "Obviously we don't."

--Seventeen is turning into an unlucky number. Minnesota has turned the ball over 17 times in three consecutive games entering the Feb. 19 meeting at Michigan.

--The Gophers' RPI was down to 35 entering the week, still high enough for the NCAA Tournament, but much lower than it was a few weeks ago.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I thought we had a pretty good ball-handling team. Obviously we don't." -- Coach Tubby Smith, on the Gophers' propensity to turn the ball over lately

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