2010-2011 Gophers

[Dotch]

This team is NIT bound after seeing this performance. Painful game to watch in almost every aspect, and yes the officiating was horrendous even by Big 10 standards. The Gophs will have to get their [PoorWordUsage] in a group in order to impress anyone and win at least 4 of their last games to be considered for an NCAA berth unless of course they win the tournament. I have a better chance of hiring Kim Kardashian as my next secretary than that. The way teams like Iowa have suddenly awakened, winning 4 games is no easy task. I agree, the freshmen need to play. Hoff looked gassed in the 2nd half. And maybe after getting racked up like they have, the NIT is what they need. Clem had some teams back in the 90's that were of a similar makeup and it certainly didn't hurt them.

[guideman]

First of all, it's never better to go to the NIT than the NCAA tournament.

As disapointed as I am by the way this team has responed to losing it's point guard, I am even more disapointed in how Tubby has handled it. Williams at the shooting guard spot, what are you high Tubby? They have broken my heart so many times over the years, that they should change their name to the Vikings.

Hofharbor threw up nothing but bricks when they needed him the most, he's outa gas in the second half. Play someone else at the point Tubby....

"Ace"

[EBass]

UGH...

[Dotch]

OK, maybe I worded the last couple lines poorly but let me ask you this guideman, if they're not going to make the NCAA which most of us are convinced they won't, would you (A) rather have them sitting at home playing video games or ( going to the NIT to gain more game experience for the freshmen? And don't tell us you'd rather see them going to the NCAA because we already know that.

[hunter76]

When we first got Tubby I was very excited, but after watching this years team I wouldn't care if he left. We have 2 big men that run around the top of the key, why not have them down low and post them up. Mbakwe is a stud, why not post him up more and clear everyone out for him? Very poor coaching in my book.

[Duffman]

There's just no team chemistry on this years team.

Did anybody else notice on one of Hoffs drives to the basket he put up a little floater that was way off, to me it looked like a pass to Mbakwe for a jam? It just seems like there's never two Gophs on the same page at the same time. It's like they've never played together before.

Frustrating.

[mrklean]

Sad to say this team is cooked

[Scott M]

Gophers are fortunate that Iowa plays into their hands and casts a bunch of 3's, most of which were contested. They were also shooting cold as a number of shots rolled out. Tonight Minnesota looked hungry and prepared. They hustled to loose balls and made plays. Rodney attacked the rim, threw some pump fakes, and had a decent game. Mbakwe also attacked the rim and made a couple jump shots. If they ran their offense through Trevor it wouldn't be a bad thing. I still think that 14 turnovers against an Iowa team that applies little pressure is not a good thing

Sampson still has weak hands and lost a number of loose balls that were in his grips. He hasn't had a good game since North Carolina. He needs a psychologist more than anything...whatever it takes to get his mind right before games.

Maverick Ahanmisi played a nice game off the bench. 7 points and capable ball handling; altogether the freshman played quite well.

The Big Ten needs to standardize their video replay. We come back from commercial and Mbakwe is issued a flagrant foul for reversing the ball across his body and inadvertently catching his defender with an elbow. If you play defense that tight, that's what you get. Contrast that to the Illinois game where the officials refuse to consult instant replay for Mbakwe's And-1 and you see what I mean. Hopefully there is some clarification in the off season.

Gophers didn't look devastating tonight but they played well enough to win. Nothing's a gimme anymore on the schedule, but the silver lining is the only team that is above them in the conference standings is MSU. I don't see them going 4-1 to close, but if they do they will get in the tournament no strings attached. I can't even make a prediction because this team is so erratic and their personnel groupings can be exposed by even a mediocre team, that nothing would surprise me. I put the range of possibilities to anything from 0-5 to 3-2. I can see them again being a team that needs to win a conference tournament game or two in order to get in as the last Big Ten team.

Side note, I did call that Wisconsin upset correctly. Wisconsin is doing a great job of using their bit parts to win...would love to see that offense in Minnesota.

[schmitty3]

For those of you watching the game tonight or any of the games left for that matter keep an eye on colton iverson and ralph sampson and how little they do on both ends of the court. They just dont play hard at all. Instead of flashing hard in the middle of the zone they both just kind of walk around real lazily not giving it much effort at all. Then you watch Mbakwe and he's all over the place. They could be such a dominate team inside the paint if iverson and sampson showed some effort and toughness. They are always getting pushed out to the top of the key also.

[Bryce]

Was about to post similar but yours was better stated. Both are marginal D1 players. Fear this program is on the same track as football. Love how my taxes are being spent.

? Aren't Tubby and Clem buddies? Hmmmmm

[Dotch]

Yeah Clem and Tubby are buds. But back to matters on the court. Coulda called this one earlier today. What a fitting end to the %#*^-ing day! I go home at noon and lamb out a ewe so I nicely get a chance to eat. The power goes off at work when a transformer blows about the time I was meeting with my last client of the day. Then I go home for chores and they take almost 2 hours while lambing out more ewes as the wife is "working". Meanwhile I get to watch the last 3 minutes of the Gophers imploding. Not amused! Time for another brewski and some vittles to forget this stinkeroo of a day and Gophers performance!

[Scott M]

Don't say we didn't tell ya so! Too many turnovers, no poise down the stretch, no answer for Battle. This is the same PSU team I watched lose to Maine in front of their home crowd in December. They have to win out to lock up a bid. Three home games and at Northwestern. If this team had the roster they started the year with, they would be fine. But not this group. A one and done in the NIT sounds about right.

[paceman]

I say they get 2 wins in the NIT.

[Dotch]

I think if they can collect 3 wins out of their last 4 games they'll get in. That would give them 20 wins. Add in the "Tubby factor" and the possibility of winning one or two in the Big 10 tournament to that total & I don't think there'd be any doubt given the expanded number of teams. They still might get in if they win 2 of their last 4 and won a couple in the tournament. As you said da chise given the personnel they have now vs. the start of the season, they have painted themselves into a corner. They're are a one and done in the NCAA if they do get in, maybe a couple game winner if they go to the NIT methinks. I haven't done my homework on Al Nolen to see where he's at yet so that may be an intangible should they go to the NIT.

[CodyDawg]

I have a slightly different view of Iverson and Sampson...that is the offense! The offense, I think, calls for them to do what they do. I have always thought Iverson in particular was pretty scrappy and an effort player.

as this season continues to swirl down the porcelain throne, I keep coming back to Tubby's incompetence. my 3 main complaints: the half a dozen defections, the total and complete lack of an offense, and his poor personnel decisions and unwillingness to change it up.

The freshmen trio now has most of season and all three has been dependable. I would predict if they gave ol' Mav half the time at point, chip a few minutes and the rest to Hoff, they would make the toureny.

Continue to wear out Hoff and you are looking at 1 and done in the NIT.

[schmitty3]

Wow 0 points in the last 3 1/2 minutes. It is just beyond me why

Ahanmisi was not in at the end of the game. He is the only player on the team that has any ball handling skills under pressure.

[Scott M]

Anybody else sick of watching deja vu? They blow a home game against a very beatable Michigan State team. They are done folks, NIT bound. They look and play scared down the stretch and blow it. Sampson doesnt box out and can't pull down a big rebound. It's all the same stuff each game. How they can build a 7 point lead with 3.5 minutes left and end up losing by 5...it's the same thing over and over. Now they are guaranteed to not having a winning conference record, and they have no potential to make a big run without anything short of Nolen returning for the BTT and running the table with him playing like Dwayne Wade. About as likely as me waking up with an arm growing out my rear. Pathetic.

[schmitty3]

Pathetic.

Pretty much sums everything up. lol

[mrklean]

NIT if they are lucky by now

[CodyDawg]

Bad coaching. An elite coach does not let his team implode like this. Look at Wisconsin, they done have the talent we have, but they have good coaching. The Souhan article of a couple weeks ago nailed it. Tubby is a mediocre coach who has a fancy reputation, but just doesnt get it done. Take out his 1 national championship with Pitino's players and he has done NOTHING. That offense they run is putrid. Utterly and completely a worthless offense.

[Dotch]

lol! Somehow the visual of da chise growing an additional appendage strikes me as funny. Think how handy that would be for ice fishing, hay baling, basketball and other assorted activities. Ennaway as Sid used to say, between Kim Kardashian doing my books and da chise's new arm, their NCAA turd just rounded the first bend. Even if they somehow miraculously pull off wins in their next 3 games and win 2 tournament games, I'd really rather they didn't get in. They will only disappoint. No doubt the NIT is calling as they just don't deserve someone wasting a bid on them after having Mich St. right where they wanted them at home. As a side note, while I don't enjoy watching them lose, it has been interesting to look at the pieces this team has for next year. In the off season, they'd better spend a lot fo time on free throws amongst other things. Earlier this season when they were on a roll, that was one of their Achille's heels. We wouldn't be in the position we're in had they made half the free throws they threw away.

[CodyDawg]

Funny Dotch, I started thinking to next year too. How sad is that? I am just so disappointed in them this year.

[SkunkedAgain]

They are disappointing. I really thought that Iverson would continue to emerge after his promising postseason in 2010. He's just a big thug that commits hard fouls when things aren't going well.

The bright spot is that Hollins, Armelin, and Ahanmisi are all flashing their potential. The lack of a real point guard is killing the Gophers, along with their lack of getting the ball down low to three really big guys. They also don't have a definitive guy (like Westbrook) who can put the team on their shoulders when the game is on the line. I'm not ready to crucify Tubby yet, but he's got to develop his talent better and utilize what he's got.

[schmitty3]

They do have a true pg. Ahanmisi is that guy. He can handle the ball under pressure, unlike hoff and hollins, and anyone on the team for that matter. He needs to get more minutes IMO. Another key loss that I think is big, but not brought up alot is Walker. he was a big guy who was hard to move down low and play pretty good D. They need that strength that Ralphy lacks.

[SkunkedAgain]

Good points. I think that an overall assessment is that most players on that team are not utilizing theirs strengths very well.