NIT Bound

[mr_jman]

The Gophers that is! They can't seem to win on the road or get a quality win. Really thought they would compete for top 3 in the conference!

[Scott M]

Yeah, disappointing game in Columbus. What a letdown by players and coaches...It falls on them to be smarter and continue development. It's been baby steps forward with Tubby, but this year was a step back.

[Rick]

Wow,

they got it handed to them. I'm not impressed.

Let's hope they get it together in the not too distant future. This year is a huge setback in my opinion.

I expected more from a Tubby coached team and still do!!!!

[pearllakebulls]

definately expected more. but they have had a lot of setbacks with their personnel. Cold hard truth is that even with some experience and good talent, they still aren't getting the elite talent to come to the great white north and be able to compete.

[CJH]

When your two best recruits can't play, that hurts!!!

Very disappointed in this year's team, and it looks like all of the older guys have pretty much peaked. No real improvement this year (other than Hoffarber in every other game).

Can somebody throw it to Colton Iverson in the freakin' post???!!!!!!

[pearllakebulls]

A couple times today they got it to Iverson. Once, he took it off a pick and roll and got right to the bucket and got stripped on the way up. Another time, he shot a jump hook and got blocked by 6'8" Dallas Lauderdale (Colt is listed at 6'10"). Checked the box score and those were his only attempts. he had zero reb, blk, ast. an empty line on the score sheet! the more i think about it, he should be sitting more.

[CJH]

I saw the one time he was stripped, and they gave it to him way to far out from the basket. The block is legit. But two chances, that's it???? We've see he can put it in, in the past, and that helps out the rest of the perimeter players.

He's the only banger they have, and they don't use him!!!!

[mrklean]

they might be lucky to make it to the NIT

[mr_jman]

For having 2 big guys (Sampson and Iverson) and Damian Johnson as a potential inside threat, we don't go inside much, but if they do, they don't go up strong (mostly Iverson) and they miss A LOT of 2 footers. I know there young but when you get 2 foot looks try hitting a few of them or SLAM IT HOME! Possibly get fouled and go to the line and MAKE A FREE THROW! This might open up the outside game for Blake to get more attempts (We seem to win a lot more games when Blake is getting shots - Look at Mich St, Indiana, and Ohio St all on the road. Blake had very few attempts in all 3 games and we lost them all.

Being a big basketball fan, the Gophers were my only hope in Minnesota. Maybe I'll just have to wait till Whalen and the Lynx are playing to get excited about basketball again!

[Scott M]

I agree, where is that inside threat? 6'11" Sampson falling away, Iverson rushing shots? The joy of watching Gopher basketball in the Clem days was that the time would improve over the course of the season. Monson's teams never did that, and this group of Tubby's is falling behind. The 2009 recruits aren't looking like a top 25 recruiting class anymore...things are a mess, and like you say, if you counted on the team to get you into the Twins season, it is making for a long winter!

[zepman]

definately expected more. but they have had a lot of setbacks with their personnel. Cold hard truth is that even with some experience and good talent, they still aren't getting the elite talent to come to the great white north and be able to compete.

Tubby had the same problem luring the superstar to Kentucky...that's part of the reason they parted ways. I've heard others say he recruits kids that want to stay in the "program" for 4 years...I like that concept but it doesn't seem to be paying any dividends right now.

[Coach1310]

There is a lot of truth to the "not recruiting the superstar" in Tubby's past. If you can't get the blue chip recruits to come to Kentucky, how can you possibly convince them to come to MN??? I understand how each coach has different systems and beliefs, but with a kid like Wall at Kentucky, even though there is probably zero chance he would have come to the U of M, you still gotta pursue it a little.....