The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS - Purdue and Minnesota have found Big Ten play to be plenty challenging, no matter how weak the conference has been considered this season.
After impressive performances in their nonconference games, both the Boilermakers (3-4, 0-3) and the Gophers (4-3, 0-3) have lost their first three Big Ten games headed into Saturday's game against each other.
The Gophers have lost at Iowa, to Northwestern and at Wisconsin. The Boilermakers were beaten by three points at Notre Dame, currently ranked fifth in the Associated Press poll. They were blown out by Michigan and Wisconsin. Then they squandered a 22-14 lead in the closing seconds last week at Ohio State and lost in overtime.
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