2011-2012 Gophers

[Scott K]

They hung in there, I thought forsure they were going to loose it in the end.

[berfish]

Sampson needs to be benched forever. Elyisan (spelling?) needs to play more. Nice outside shooting and defense last night though.

[schweady]

Really nice to see a freshman stepping up in Coleman. And Sampson turns it up just a notch -- playing only half of the game due to foul trouble, but contributing key blocks and rebounds along with some smart assists -- enough to make you pleased that he could hang in there as long as he did before fouling out.

Gotta keep driving -- lots of times they never get the ball into someone's hands inside the arc until under 10 seconds to shoot. Seeing all of those second half offensive rebounds this afternoon raises the optimism slightly.

Very happy that I can once again look forward to being in the Barn for Sunday's Northwestern game. Thought for a while there that it would be our first Big Ten win. Or not. Now the back story is The Battle of the Giant Killers - what with MN over #7/8 Indiana Thursday, Northwestern over #6/7 Michigan State last night.

[Scott M]

Sounded like a nice win and a great game from Coleman. No longer in the cellar anyways. Let's hope the week off helps.

[Scott M]

Made it to today's matinee, best effort I've seen from the Gophers all year. Ripped off a 18-4 start and never looked back, maintained a solid lead all game and played pretty good defense, looked to attack against man and 1-3-1. Joe Coleman is the type of player this program needs - a relentless rim attacker that will scrap with anybody, any size. Great team defense, Wildcats shot 32% and Shurna and Crawford went 10-31.

[Scott M]

I don't think anyone expected the Gophers to go into East Lansing and win, but they had a big opportunity and they failed to recognize it. You gotta love Coach Izzo, I would have loved to play for a guy like that, so tip of the hat to him for win #400. Gophers lose 68-52.

Charmin Sampson starts the game terribly, getting pushed under the rim, turning it over, and the Gophers were on pace to give up 20 offensive rebounds. He had a little better second half, but you have the same problem of not having a go to guy that wants the ball and wants to score. Between Rodney and Ralph, neither are demanding the ball in the post. While Draymond Green kills you with inside work and step back jump shots, Rodney never asserted himself to get the ball and use his athletic advantage to score over Green. He also let Green nail that big three in the closing seconds of the first half off an inbounds. With his leaping ability, Green should have never got a clean look.

Turning point in the game...Gophers down 5, on an 8-0 run, Coleman steals a post entry pass, then tries to push through a backcourt double team and turns it over. At the time, there was around 9 minutes left I believe and the Gophers were in the bonus! If they played tough on defense (which was a little better in the second half until the game was decided) and attacked on offense, they could have had a parade to the foul line. Instead they settled for outside shots and lost. If you let MSU dictate pace, you will lose. We've seen it for years, you'll get pushed around, give up offensive rebounds, and settle for outside jumpers. As Gus Johnson put it, "they'll steal your lunch money."

Tough loss. I liked what Coleman gave them despite some freshmen mistakes. Austin Hollins is too mercurial. He had yet another scoreless effort.

If the Gophers can show some mental toughness, and yes they haven't shown much in years past, but I see glimpses with this group, they can steal a game or two and be in position to get back on the bubble. For an Mbakwe-less group, that's an accomplishment.

Revenge game at home against Illinois on Saturday.

[knoppers]

gophers win! they really need to work on there rebounding and free throws, if they made only 75 percent of there free throws, they would have won in regulation. I can't believe how many offensive rebounds illinois had, we need to do better on the defensive boards. one good thing, they shot very well, which got them the win.

[Scott M]

Finally caught up with my DVR. Amazing to see the Gophers go up 39-29 with 16 minutes to go in the second half and brimming with confidence, then see them get down 6 late in the game and battle back. Gophers shot awful free throws in the 2nd half, but they did a good job of defending the 3. It all works out. Meyers Leonard...he's going to be a beast. He is what Gopher fans were hoping Ralph Sampson would turn into. We got lucky to have an Austin Hollins And-1 to tie it, but sometimes you gotta get a little lucky. There are still plenty of lulls in the Gophers' mental game, but a win is a win.

[Scott M]

If the tourney started today, despite starting 0-4, the Gophers would be in according to Joe Lunardi. Obviously there is a lot of ball left to play, but I thought that was interesting. 6 weeks to try to get some signature wins and play their way in. They are looking tougher, but plenty of chinks in the armor exist.

[schweady]

If the tourney started today, despite starting 0-4, the Gophers would be in according to Joe Lunardi.

Yeah, they broke into Bracketology at #11 a week and a half ago. Not sure if I bought it. Will slip back out of sight after tonight's meltdown at the end.

[Dotch]

Losing to this group of pukes for the 2nd time did them no favors to be sure. They can't stand prosperity after getting a double digit lead established with 10 minutes to go. Somehow they were lucky enough to pull it off against IL, not so tonite. Coming out of the blocks and committing 9 turnovers in 9 minutes, what were they thinkin'? Obviously they weren't. This one really sticks in my craw. Barf!

[Scott M]

Yuck. I DVR'd the game to watch the Wolves. Guess I'll be treated to another stinker. If Tubby can't count on his two wins against Iowa, he'll have a hard time getting to 9 with 0 wins against Iowa.

[Dotch]

No question. Given their remaining schedule, if they win 3 maybe 4 games I'd be surprised. They can start packing their bags for the NIT, maybe. And, after last night's performance, I could envision them getting picked off by Nebraska at least once and winning at Northwestern is certainly no gimme.

[CJH]

Fugly. I knew they were going to run out of gas after coming back from 12 down. Really sloppy, no way they should ever turn the ball over that much.

[schweady]

Huh. Bracketology still has the Gophs as one of the Last Four In, playing a 12/12 game against Arizona. Do or die against a parade of ranked teams coming up.

[Scott M]

Yuck, just watched back that Iowa game. Nebraska game is in the hopper. You would think they lost it down the stretch, but they lost it throughout the game.

Nine Gopher turnovers during a 15-3 Iowa start, including 5 by Julian Welch? I can watch Rodney lay back in the weeds in the lane and rise up and block a shot half way across the court but he can't just grab it and get possession? Some of these guys have basketball IQs in the 60's. Somehow they lead 27-24 at the half as bad as they played after being down 12.

2nd half I see a bunch of missed open 3's, Rodney misses an easy And-1 and can't make his free throws. At 13:00 they put Iowa in the bonus. Osienienks misses a tip in layup. Sampson doesn't go strong and gets blocked by a guy several inches shorter (never heard that one before, right). Williams gets fouled, doesn't lay it in and tries to dunk it and misses. I watched guys jog to spots on offense. With all that, they take a ten point lead, then blow it all away. Up 5 with 2:45 to go, and they can't play defense or execute on offense. It gets tied with 1:20 to go, they turn it over and miss a shot while Nebraska scores twice. Game over. 64-59. Zero points for Coleman. My prediction is this is the game that will haunt them.

[schweady]

chise, ya scared me for a sec. Thought I missed a game there.

[Scott M]

Snuck in the Nebraska game off DVR too. Armelin had it going on. They need to find ways to get him the ball in the open court...no one has better body control.

Pretty bad shooting by the Huskers in the 2nd half. Give the Gophers credit, the Huskers beat Indiana within the week.

Poor free throw shooting by the Gophers but they hit open 3's in the first half, crashed the boards on offensive, and got out in transition for layups in the second half. Add it up and its good enough to beat an overmatched Husker team.

The good news? If the season ended today, the Gophers would likely be in the tournament. Also, 5 of the last 7 are at home. The bad news? 5 of the last 7 are against ranked opponents. Gotta win 4 to get in the Big Dance.

Bucky comes to town Thursday night. They are beatable. They have only blown out 2 teams in conference play and their style is very similar to the Gophers. However, with points at a premium, a 6 point deficit can feel like 12. If they get up for the game, ride the crowd, and play smart, they could upset Wiscy at home.

[Dotch]

chise, ya scared me for a sec. Thought I missed a game there.

I awoke in a cold sweat. Thought I was having a flashback!

[schweady]

What a tease this bunch is...

[Scott M]

Yep, Gophers couldn't keep up their pose when things were going poorly and they didn't recognize a mismatch when they had it. They set up a play for the end of regulation, tied at 51, and Wisconsin switched everything. The intelligent basketball play was when Taylor switched on Rodney, to give him isolation in the post or on the wing to let him drive hard...he had been the hot hand with Andre Hollins. Instead we saw a couple poor shots fired off before the horn. You gotta have your composure against this team - nothing changes. They milk the clock, don't turn it over, and play the best defense in the country. Ralph was content just running up and down the floor and not getting engaged. Coleman has been scoreless in three straight. When Wisconsin snagged Jared Berggren and Mike Bruesewitz, I said big deal, we got Rodney Williams and Royce White. Unless Rodney comes alive, I think the Badger set is looking like the better deal, especially since Royce had to be cut loose.

Bucky got lucky with a couple 3's rattling in but they have poise and the Gophers don't. It's going to be hard to win in Madison to end the month.

I just don't see this team having the firepower to win enough games down the stretch to make the Big Dance. They are a NIT team.

[PierBridge]

I can only assume that the Badgers are the only team in the history of college basketball to win a game in wich they scored only 2 points in the last 10 miuntes of the 2nd half.

That's mind boggling and to boot I had the Gophers and under..

[CJH]

No closers on this team. Thought Coleman was going to be that guy, but not sure if he's hit the freshman wall, or teams figured out how to guard him, or both.

N-I-T, N-I-T!

[schweady]

Can't believe Bracketology still gave the Gophs a corner of the dance floor... this week's projection has them in a play-in game of #13 seeds vs NCState. Just hoping that tonight's game against THE OSU is entertaining, anyway...

[schmitty3]

They have been getting a lot of help from other bubble teams, but really need a signature win. The Wisconsin game coulda been that, but obviously wasn't. Could it be tonight.. who knows, but I doubt it.