MINNEAPOLIS -- As Minnesota and Rutgers open their conference season on Sunday evening at Williams Arena, they each have to be happy, at minimum, that the Big Ten/ACC challenge is over.
For the 12th-ranked Golden Gophers (7-1), their first loss of the season came at home on Wednesday at the hands of 10th-ranked Miami. The Scarlet Knights (6-1) also fell to an ACC team from Florida. Rutgers' first loss was Tuesday against visiting Florida State.
Knights' second-year coach Steve Pikiell saw many good things in the loss.
"I thought we fought. I thought we played hard.