Minnesota missing multiple coaches, players for crucial Big Ten matchup vs. Iowa

The Minnesota Golden Gophers will be shorthanded in Sunday afternoon’s home contest against the Iowa Hawkeyes, as recent COVID-19 complications and injuries have depleted the Golden Gophers — both on the coaching staff and active roster.

In terms of coaching, Minnesota will be without two assistant coaches against Iowa. B both coaches went unnamed in reports about the quarantine period. At the time of publication, Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson appears to have evaded any sort of isolation period and will be available on Sunday.

The roster, on the other hand, is even more depleted than the coaching staff. Minnesota will be without four student-athletes for the 2:00 p.m. contest with Iowa, leaving the Golden Gophers with just seven scholarship players for the contest.

The four players who will be absent are forward Eric Curry, who averages 8.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and and 1.6 assists per game, guard Sean Sutherlin, who averages 8.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and roughly one assist per game, forward Danny Ogele, who has appeared in five games and averages 3.6 minutes per contest, and guard Joey Kern, who’s only played in one game to date. Curry and Sutherlin average 28.1 and 18.7 minutes per game, respectively.

Despite the COVID-19 quarantines, Minnesota will have its three highest scorers on Sunday against Iowa: Jamison Battle, Peyton Willis and E.J. Stephens, who lead all Golden Gophers with 17.9, 15.8 and 11.3 points, respectively.

Minnesota is 10-4 overall, and the COVID-19 isolation came at a costly time for the slumping Golden Gophers. `Minnesota cruised to start the season, starting 7-0 with Power Five wins over Pitt and Mississippi State in that span, and although the Golden Gophers’ seven-game win streak was snapped by then-No. 19 Michigan State, they bounced back for a quality eighth win over Michigan. Since the Michigan win, Minnesota has won two nonconference games but has struggled mightily in Big Ten play, losing to Illinois, Indiana and Michigan State, respectively. Iowa presented an opportunity — at home, no less — to snap that streak.

Moreover, while Minnesota is just 1-4 in Big Ten play, Iowa is 2-3 in conference play, and the Hawkeyes now have a critical game to improve to .500 in conference play. Iowa has a 12-4 record overall, including Power Five wins over Virginia, Maryland and Indiana, but most of the Power Five schools the Hawkeyes have faced — particularly, the highly-regarded opponents in Purdue, Illinois, Iowa State and Wisconsin — have given them trouble, as Iowa has yet to win against an AP Top 25 opponent.