Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson often says a game “can’t mean more to them than it does to us.”

There was no doubt Sunday’s game was deemed important to Nebraska. The evidence was all over Minnesota’s 73-55 blowout loss.

Johnson circled loose balls as a primary example, losing them 10-2 to the Cornhuskers, adding that Nebraska was “quicker to everything.”

The Gophers (17-10, 8-8 Big Ten) can’t let effort be in question if they are going to pull off a big upset against No. 13 Illinois (20-7, 11-5) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill.

After being buried in the conference standings the past two Februarys, the Gophers are learning hard lessons on what it takes to win with postseason play in March around the corner.

“There is going to be a different level of urgency; it’s like the NBA playoffs,” Johnson said. “It gets heightened, and so we need to understand what that looks like and feels like and the effort that it takes now to win these games. Its different than even the first week of the Big Ten season.”

Alums coming back

During the NBA all-star break, Los Angeles Clippers wing Amir Coffey returned to Williams Arena to watch the Gophers beat Rutgers on Feb. 18. On Feb. 22, it was former U guard Eric Harris coming back to watch the Gophers beat Ohio State.

Those two are notable names, but other ex-players have been coming back to The Barn this season.

“There has been (more),” Johnson said Friday. “It’s been good to see. Winning and what we are doing benefits that. But the more you can get those guys around and get the energy of them and the passion of them around, I think it cheers up the fans when they see those guys in the building. It creates a good energy and a good environment that we want to have here.”

Slowing Shannon

Before the Gophers come back for Saturday’s game against Penn State, they will need to find a way to slow down Illini star guard Terrance Shannon.

“(He) is one of, if not the, most explosive player in college basketball,” Johnson said. “Strength, tenacity. He is a single-man fast break. Can go one on four, so we got to make sure we get back and get set because they live off (transition), especially if they are at home.”

Shannon is second in Big Ten scoring at 21.6 points per game.

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