2009-2010 Gophers

[james_walleye]

I agree, i see the bigs open in the middle and the ball has to go in there if only to kick it back out to the open shooter. The offense was stale, just passed it around the outside all night long. Teams will continue to do what Portland did last night and play that saggy zone not allowing penetration and forcing the gophers to prove they can hit an outside shot once in a while. I think they need to speed things more when they can. Get it up court fast and try to get something quick before that saggy zone can get set up.

[Snag]

After watching the game, you would think it was their first time playing together. Tubby's substitutions keep them fresh on D, but it seems to hurt the offense too much. They never get into a rythymn and if they do, they get yanked. They just don't play off each other very well.

The passing around the top against the zone was pathetic. 6th grade girls would have at least tried sending it into the post. They never tried to front the post on D, so Portland just went inside out and hit threes.

[Scott M]

Caught the game last night after a full day of hunting. A very spread 2-3 zone with quick players and size to protect the middle befuddled the young Gophers. They weren't patient for much of the game and took too many jumpshots. Teams should remember from last year that if you don't give up easy baskets in transition or run outs you can slow down the game and methodically beat the Gophers. Very good intensity and patience by Portland...they never deviated from the game plan.

I'm dissappointed in the team not finding a way to get the ball to the bigs...if they want to get better they will learn to use the posts, and I'm not talking about just this year, I'm talking about the next two...they have a good group of youngsters that needs to learn to dominate the middle now.

Hopefully Minnesota salvages a win against UCLA...I didn't expect a 3-0 tournament record, and this tourney means nothing so 2-1 should still be viewed as a good thing this early if the team learns from that loss.

[Dotch]

I've been impressed with the physical changes in both Iverson and Sampson but agree, now it's time to use their melons, get open and pull down the boards. The tools appear to be there. Think they play TX A&M at 4 p.m. on ESPN2 Sunday but yupper, a 2-1 record out of this tournament would be a positive.

[Nick Kuhn]

I think last nights poor performance was fatigue related. They didn't shoot well even from the line. My guess is playing back to back nights with only 10 players took it's toll.

[CJH]

FLAT again. Not the best way to end the tourney. At least they showed some spunk at the end of the game and pulled it close. Not sure why Sampson is starting, since Iverson is outplaying him hands down.

Anyboy know what the "disciplinary" benching of Nolan and Westbrook was about?

[Scott M]

I was wondering about the benching too. Didn't get to see the game, but read the recap. Sounds like they had a flat start...do that in the Big Ten this year and you will be a .500 team.

Beat Miami on Wednesday and they'll be back on the up and up. Miami is undefeated right now.

[pondhopper]

Iverson's play in the tournament really impressed me, his rebounding in particular. Two double-doubles in three games against higher quality opposition is encouraging.

[CJH]

About the benching, I read that they were benched due to their "lack of leadership". Basically, when they were in the game, they were jacking up shots, not running the offense (which isn't surprising with Westbrook, but is with Nolen). They shot around 24% from the field and were outplayed by every other guard combo they faced. Joseph and Hoffarber outplayed them also. Nolen played much better in the last half after the benching and had like 5 assists during that time frame, which is what we expect from him.

Just kind of getting sick of Westbrook's out of control play. You can get away with it against the garbage teams they played to start the season, but as the tourney proved, you can't do it against quality teams.

[CodyDawg]

Their free throw shooting is pathetic. man, i get frustrated watching that. And they have no "go to" guy. Westbrook isnt that guy, as much as he wants to be. He is a good 2nd or 3rd option, but not the #1 guy. I was a little dissapointed that Williams didnt play more....as I dont know if they really have a #1 guy on their roster. I hope it is Williams. And Devoe....man, he sure could pass up a shot now and then and it wouldnt bother me. Scoring 10 points on 4 for 15 shooting is not what we need.

[TR21]

Sometimes its hard to take the AAU out of the player. When it comes down to it and the game is on the line instincts vs. coaching takes over and what most of these players regress to is their AAU play which is run and gun.

[CJH]

Hopefully they play better tonight. I believe the game is at 6:30 on ESPN U.

Winning this game would be some redemption from this past weekend!!

[Scott M]

This free throw thing is chronic (6 of 14). A slight edge in rebounding to Miami and poor free throw shooting give the win to Miami. Minnesota played Miami tough, both teams finished with about the same 3 point percentage, field goal percentage, and turnovers. Damian Johnson's 1-5 free throws probably were the difference and poor execution down the stretch allowing Durand Scott to school you were the undoing.

Now isn't the time to hit the panic button, but as tough as the conference schedule is going to be, more preseason wins would have been nice. I figured they would lose 2 entering Big Ten play, now it appears that number will be 3. This team isn't looking like the 3rd best team in the Big Ten...expect a lower finish based on the lack of execution they've showed us so far.

[CJH]

They look average at best, so far.

Disappointed in the effort once again. What the heck's a guy got to do to get the ball in the post once in a while????!!!!!!!

[Dotch]

Yup, another letdown. Beating Butler was nice & now coming back home to beat up on the little sisters of the poor for awhile will help soothe their bruised egos. However if they believed that earlier season ranking actually meant something, the last 3 games should convince them otherwise. Maybe it's good to get these learning experiences out of the way now if they do indeed learn and change their ways. Continue to play at this level in the Big 10 season though, they'll be NIT bound, maybe.

[CJH]

I don't put alot of stock into what Sid says, but he said this, this morning:

"The Gophers might have won the Texas A&M game had Smith not benched Al Nolen and Lawrence Westbrook in the first half for disciplinary reasons.

What could turn the entire picture around would be if Trevor Mbakwe's assault case in Miami was dropped -- and it could be -- and if Royce White were to be cleared in the investigation of a stolen laptop from a campus dormitory room. Devron Bostick, who also has been suspended, could play Saturday against Brown."

Sounds like the Mbakwe maybe back sooner than we think.....

[mr_jman]

It sure would be nice to get some of these young guys in. Had we had them we would have done better in that tourney you'd have to think! It seems like Sid doesn't care for the disciplining of young athletes. He is just worried about wins and losses. I don't have a problem with Tubby doing what he did or what he does. He's a very very good coach and a little disciplining is hopefully a good thing in the long run!

[pegleg]

I wonder what is up with Williams? He didn't play much out in California after having a very good season for a freshman up that tourney. He must be in Tubby's doghouse also.

[CJH]

I think that he took some bad shots (I remember one in particular) against Portland, I believe. He hasn't played much since then.

[Badger]

PLEASE extend the contracts for all the MN Coaches

[Scott M]

Badger, huh?

Went to the Brown game yesterday. Wow, some of their guys look like dudes from "D" league of intramurals. Uncoordinated, goofy looking, skinny white dudes with wrist tape and mismatched shoes and unis....bad basketball.

It was a blowout. Nothing worth reporting, except maybe that Bostick finally played. Another win, nothing learned, nothing gained but the "W". It was the kind of game where if they put their mind to it, they could have scored 100 or held the other team under 30, but choose to do neither.

The radio crew on the way home said Morgan State has some moxie, playing some bigger schools tough and upsetting Arkansas away, playing 7 of their 8 on the road. We'll find out on Tuesday night.

[Scott M]

I missed the game on account of snowsami/blizzardgeddon, here's the recap from another laugher:

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, Associated Press

Blake Hoffarber had 18 points and Minnesota scored the first 18 points of the game in a 94-64 victory over Morgan State on Tuesday night.

Lawrence Westbrook added 14 points, four assists and four steals for the Gophers (6-3).

Kevin Thompson had 17 points and a career-high 19 rebounds for Morgan State (5-4). Reggie Holmes scored 26 points and had a career-high five steals, but shot just 9 of 28 from the field.

The Gophers led 9-0 before Morgan State even managed a field goal attempt and the Bears shot just 26 percent in the decisive first half.

The Gophers even handed the Bears their first points of the game — literally. During a scramble for a rebound under the basket, Gophers center Colton Iverson inadvertently knocked the ball into the Morgan State basket. Thompson was credited with the basket as the closest Bear, and MSU was finally on the board after 8:31.

Morgan State, which made the NCAA tournament after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title last season, missed its first 10 shots and had six turnovers in the first seven minutes to dig a hole too deep to climb out.

The second half was a parade to the free throw line for both teams. Minnesota had 39 free throws in the final 20 minutes while the Bears had 20 attempts.

After losing three games in a row to Portland, Texas A&M and Miami on the road last week, the Gophers have returned home to a soft schedule in hopes of rebuilding some of the confidence that was lost against tougher competition.

The Gophers were dominant on both ends in the opening 10 minutes, but sloppy the rest of the way after jumping out to a 23-point lead in the first half. Minnesota committed a season-high 18 turnovers and surrendered 23 offensive rebounds to the Bears.

They beat Brown last weekend, the Bears on Tuesday night and play lightweights St. Joseph's (Pennsylvania), Northern Illinois and South Dakota State at Williams Arena before opening the Big Ten season on Dec. 29.

The Bears, meanwhile, finally get to go home to Baltimore for two games after playing eight of their first nine on the road.

But this environment was hardly hostile for Morgan State. A winter storm kept many fans away from this one, and the Barn was at least half empty for another Gophers rout against inferior competition.

[Scott M]

Royce is managing to throw away his future with the Gophers. Producing a video to tell your side of the story seems narcissistic when you could just shut up, man up, ask forgiveness for your sins, and play ball.

[CJH]

Not surprisingly, he is proving he is an D-B.

[Scott M]

Went to the St. Joe's game today. My friends and I are trying to stay entertained by picking fantasy players off the sisters of the poor teams we play. We picked Chris Prescott from warmups and he lit it up relatively speaking with 14 points including 4-7 treys. We're all pulling for him to pull up and drain shots, it was pretty comical. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Martelli only gave him 16 minutes.

Same song and dance, Gophers roll over a bad team. Free throw shooting still needs improvement. Sampson notches first career double double with a 16-10. He looked halfways aggressive at times. He got a standing ovation when he went to the bench for the final time. Hoffarber is looking good as a starter. He hit 5 of 9 3's, mostly catch and shoots. The team did a great job sharing the ball. Definitely enjoyed the Damian Johnson to Ralph Sampson hi-lo alley oop.

Pretty solid game all around. Good passing and sharing, rebounding, especially on the offensive glass, and good intensity. Joe's cut it to about 10 in the open of the second half, and then the Gophers blew it open convincingly.

Next up on Tuesday is Northern Illinois.