Minnesota Golden Gophers Looking to Ride Big 10 Momentum

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have had a pretty strange season. The team started off red-hot, winning 15 of their first 16 games, but their fortunes quickly turned. Before we knew it the Golden Gophers were making a dance video in the midst of many Minnesota fans calling for the head of Tubby Smith. However, with all of that behind them, Minnesota looks to be headed in the right direction.

It started late last month. The Golden Gophers had just lost four of their last five before playing the number one ranked Indiana Hoosiers. Most were assuming that the game would be the final nail in Minnesota’s NCAA Tournament coffin. Although, they seemed to think it was more of an opportunity to right all the wrongs they had committed throughout the Big 10 schedule.

Not only did the Gophers pull off the upset, but they are going to have the chance to build some serious momentum going into the conference tournament. With only games against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Purdue Boilermakers remaining, the road to madness is paved in such diabetic-unfriendly cupcakes.

Considering the Golden Gophers already took care of an upset-minded Penn State Nittany Lions team, I think it is safe to assume that Smith won’t allow his players to look past some of the conference’s bottom-feeders. If Minnesota could avoid slipping up, the players’ confidence could be fully restored and as high it was in December.

Since the season has been as wacky as any in recent history, it is almost better to be the hotter team in March than the better team. Thanks to their schedule, Minnesota can be one of the hottest teams in the nation come tourney time.

Joe is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow Joe on Twitter @JosephNardone