2009-2010 Gophers

[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.

[CodyDawg]

was that video supposed to tell his side of the story or is there another one? That one was pathetic.

[Scott M]

Another garbage win last night. Got to see Hoffarber light it up. 8 of 10 on 3's, set the school record. Tubby put him back in at the end to hit that last, record breaking shot. He was on from almost anywhere. One bounced out that was halfway down. I think he's got his swagger back.

Otherwise not too much else to report. NIU might only win 6-7 games this year. They only have 1 win right now.

SDSU is next, the day before X-mas eve.

[CJH]

Just watched the first half. Hoffarber was the best player on the floor and definitely looked like he had his confidence back. He even looked quicker on D. If he keeps it up, he'll be starting the rest of the year.

[mr_jman]

Well its about time to kick off the REAL (Big 10) season for the Gophers! I can't wait to see how we do against some good competition again. Hopefully Blake stays hot and we get some good consistent post play this year. Westbrook will be Westbrook hopefully. READY TO GET IT UNDERWAY!

[CJH]

Amen to that!!! Looking forward to the game tonight! Pretty sure it is on the BTN.

[mr_jman]

Going for 2 - 0 in the Big Ten today! Games at 3pm on the BTN!

[Snag]

I read that Royce White is practicing with the team again. Maybe he will be allowed to suit up in the near future.

[Canon Guy]

I think it will be a tough game for them today without Sampson.

[bunkerbay]

off to a good start!

[Canon Guy]

I think it will be a tough game for them today without Sampson.

I take that back!

[TR21HP]

Canon Guy,

Yeah, Iowa looked bad, but the Gophers really shot well. Supposedly Iowa was missing their best player - suspended for drunk driving, but I don't think he would have made a big difference in this game.

[Dotch]

lol! After watching the Gophers lose to the Hawkeyes in the "good old days" at Carver Hawkeye Arena when they were coached by Dr. Tom and running his vaunted pressure defense, then having to listen to the games on Raycom where Mac MacCausland and Larry Morgan were the 2 biggest homers ever to broadcast a basketball game, not to mention having to put up with the obnoxious Hawkeye fans less than 30 miles away, this game was sorta like watching my old Lab Patti kill rats and woodchucks until the last couple minutes: Thoroughly enjoyable, quite entertaining and very satisfying.

[mr_jman]

It made me wonder if the Gophers were just that good or if Iowa was just that bad. A little of both today. Gophers have some tough tests coming up so we'll see how good this team really is in the next few games!

[CJH]

Once again, Hoffarber was the best player on the floor. If he can keep it up, they are a much better team than predicted. Especially considering they really haven't gotten much out of the two centers and still don't have Royce or Mbawkweesgywwayeheheh.

[Scott M]

I'm getting back into the groove of things, missed the Penn State game to go up north but watched it on TV...Westbrook looked like he did against Wisconsin last year, but he needs minutes to find that groove and Tubby's line changes often prevent that. Gophers did just enough to win that one...I'd expect PSU to finish 9th and Iowa to finish 11th, so nothing too exciting yet.

As someone said, White was able to travel to Des Moines with the team and is practicing. Maybe he should just stay off Youtube for awhile.

Didn't catch a minute of the Iowa game. It sounds like Hoff is figuring it out. He is getting open looks (although I'd expect that to slow up until the Gophers can demonstrate a post game), gets trash baskets on backdoor cuts and offensive rebounds, and is managing to get minutes despite his bad defense.

I guess we've got to enjoy 2-0 in conference play and a 7 game win streak for now. It gets brutal for a few games, nobody is going to roll over:

@Purdue

Ohio State

@Michigan State

I will say 10-8 in conference play, they barely make the tournament, and finish 4th or 5th in the conference as their will be a huge logjam in the middle of the standings.