GAME NOTES: The Minnesota Golden Gophers open up a five-game homestand today by hosting the UC Riverside Highlanders in non-league play at Williams Arena. After opening the season with three straight wins, the Gophers suffered their first defeat on Tuesday, dropping a 75-61 decision at Florida State. The loss was the first at Minnesota for new head coach Tubby Smith, who took over the program after spending 10 seasons at Kentucky. Minnesota now returns back home, where it has gone a perfect 2-0 thus far. As for UCR, it opened its 2007-08 campaign with four consecutive losses before posting back-to-back wins. The most recent of those victories came on Wednesday, an 85-49 triumph over Hope International. The Highlanders however, now head back out the road, where they are 0-4 currently. Today's game marks the first-ever meeting between UCR and Minnesota on the hardwood.

The Highlanders shot 50.0 percent from the field and they knocked down 8-of-16 long-range attempts in cruising past Hope International on Wednesday. The team also dominated the boards, 45-25, and that includes a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass. Larry Cunningham led the charge with 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field. He is currently the only player on the roster that is averaging in double figures for the season, with 16.0 ppg. As a team, UCR hasn't shown much life at the offensive end of the court, scoring a mere 59.0 ppg after six outings.

The Gophers come into the contest averaging a solid 72.5 ppg, and they have also done a good job on the boards, outrebounding their foes by 7.0 rpg. Spencer Tollackson leads the Minnesota attack with 11.3 ppg and he is also ripping down a team-high 7.3 rpg. Dan Coleman and Lawrence McKenzie are tied for second in scoring at 10.5 ppg, with Coleman also grabbing 5.8 rpg. In the team's most recent outing, Minnesota shot a dismal 33.8 percent from the floor and it was also outscored at the foul line, 27-6, in a loss to Florida State on Tuesday. Both Tollackson and Coleman struggled in the game, as they combined for just 11 points on a poor 5-of-21 shooting from the floor. McKenzie broke into double figures with 10 points, although he made good on just 3-of-10 field goal tries.

Minnesota is the more talented team here and it also has the advantage of playing at home. That should be enough for it to pick up the win today.