Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 2.23.24

Sports That Aren't HockeyGophersTimberwolvesWild

Feb 23

Written By Ryan Stanzel

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Weekend Quick Hits

Huge win for the Gopher men’s basketball team in regards to their NCAA Tournament hopes. They completed a season sweep of Ohio State with a, 88-79 win at The Barn. Ohio State is super talented but underachieving, but two wins against the Buckeyes will look very good to the committee. Minnesota is now 8-7 in the Big 10 and 17-9 overall. The Gophers’ next two games are both road tilts against teams higher than them in the B10 standings -starting Sunday in Nebraska.
A predictable 6-3 loss in Winnipeg for the Wild on Tuesday, just 30 hours after Monday’s improbable 10-7 win over NHL-leading Vancouver. Winnipeg always gives the Wild fits - on the bright side Kirill Kaprizov walked out of Manitoba with both legs attached. The Wild will face red-hot Edmonton tonight without Zach Bogosian, in addition to already injured Marcus Foligno and Pat Maroon. The fact this team is in a playoff race with a third line that reads Lucchini-Rossi-Lettieri is really something. And those guys have been really good recently.
The Wolves host a dysfunctional Milwaukee team tonight in their return to the court. A ridiculous 9 p.m. or later tipoff time at Target Center for the nationally televised game. The Bucks have been woeful under Doc Rivers, who’s thrown players under the bus and gotten the bus backed over him as well. Old pal Pat Beverley playing peacemaker is quite the sight. The Bucks are still third in the East but are 3-7 in their last 10. The Wolves meanwhile play their 56th game, with a 1.5 game lead in the West.
The Gopher women host No. 8 Minnesota Duluth in a series that doesn’t matter to either team, but the fourth-ranked Gophers had best find their game heading into the WCHA Tournament. They’ll likely host Minnesota State next weekend in a best-of-three. A bye for the Gopher men.
Been a chalkfest so far in the girls state hockey tourney, but a Class AA final four of Hill-Murray and Andover, and Minnetonka and Edina should be fantastic tonight.
The Twins open their exhibition schedule tomorrow against Pittsburgh. Don’t expect to see Byron Buxton right away, but all signs point to him being healthy (for now) and a mainstay in centerfield this season.

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