Blake Hoffarber sat on top of the backrest of his team's bench after a Friday afternoon practice at Williams Arena. He had somewhat of an aerial view of the court, compared to the one North Dakota State's men's basketball players will have when they sit lower on the bench itself in Saturday's game against Hoffarber and the Gophers.
When asked why opponents have trouble winning in Williams Arena, Hoffarber scanned the 80-year-old arena known as "The Barn."
"The atmosphere," said Hoffarber, a sophomore guard who went to Gophers games with his dad while growing up in nearby Hopkins, Minn.
Hoffarber then pointed to the raised floor - which is eye level for players and coaches sitting on the bench.
"The floor is a little different, so that could be something," Hoffarber said, trying to explain why the Gophers have posted a 698-276 record in "The Barn" since it opened in 1928.
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