Gophers Basketball

[bluechipper]

Way to come up big, Nate. 5 points from your best player isn't going to cut it.

[USAFChief]

Offense was always this team's biggest question mark...where do the points come from?

 

Mason had a bad game, but overall, they need better shooters. 

 

Still and all, it was a good season, and next year looks bright.  I'm hoping they stay healthy, in school, the two frosh NY guards help, and they perhaps lose a bench scholarship player to transfer and pick up a useful transfer (similar to Springs).  They will start next year ranked. 

[Mr. Brooks]

Ugh. Why can we never have nice things in this town?

I get it that Middle Tennessee is perhaps a bit underseeded, but still, a mid major and made us look like we don't belong on the same court.

 

All in all a nice season compared to last year's disaster, but showed that this team still has a long, long way to go to be a final 4 contender.

[DaveW]

 

I like everyone picking Middle Tennessee. They're not going to sneak up on anyone this year. And remember, they lost by 25 to Syracuse in their second round game last year. My pick is Gophers by at least 10.

doh!

[DaveW]

 

Be honest, you've been sitting on that one, haven't you?

Nah, sort of came to me.

There are some much darker jokes to be made as well, but I will leave them for my group chats..

[DaveW]

As someone who has zero ties to the UofM it is always fun to watch the rubes get their hopes up every year for UofM bball and football. It's like Minnesota fans never learn (I certainly haven't) that their teams will ALWAYS let them down and disappoint. In the rare instances they actually over achieve they inevitably blow it in epic fashion in the playoffs, bowl game or tournament.

[biggentleben]

Missed the on court leadership and shooting of their eldest player in Springs, who you know would have been up to return to Milwaukee for this game.

 

The inconsistency of the calls down low really hurt the way the Gopher big men played because they couldn't decide if they were going to get every ticky-tack called against them or "let 'em play".

 

The youth definitely showed in handling the ball as well late in the game.

[DaveW]

 

Missed the on court leadership and shooting of their eldest player in Springs, who you know would have been up to return to Milwaukee for this game.

 

The inconsistency of the calls down low really hurt the way the Gopher big men played because they couldn't decide if they were going to get every ticky-tack called against them or "let 'em play".

 

The youth definitely showed in handling the ball as well late in the game.

Hard to blame the refs for the "fouls"

Lynch was a straight up disappointment and lost all his composure for some of his absolutely ridiculous fouls.

Pitino also showed poor composure as well. 

[biggentleben]

 

Hard to blame the refs for the "fouls"

Lynch was a straight up disappointment and lost all his composure for some of his absolutely ridiculous fouls.

Pitino also showed poor composure as well. 

 

Okay.

[twinsnorth49]

I said all year this team goes as Lynch goes. When he's not on the court the floor just doesn't open up for them and they become one dimensional. They don't have the type of shooters that can take over a game without the inside threat.

 

In most of the Gophers losses this year, Reggie was on the bench early and it cost them. It cost them today.

[USAFChief]

As someone who has zero ties to the UofM it is always fun to watch the rubes get their hopes up every year for UofM bball and football. It's like Minnesota fans never learn (I certainly haven't) that their teams will ALWAYS let them down and disappoint. In the rare instances they actually over achieve they inevitably blow it in epic fashion in the playoffs, bowl game or tournament.

Thanks for posting.

 

-one of the rubes

[biggentleben]

 

I said all year this team goes as Lynch goes. When he's not on the court the floor just doesn't open up for them and they become one dimensional. They don't have the type of shooters that can take over a game without the inside threat.

In most of the Gophers losses this year, Reggie was on the bench early and it cost them. It cost them today.

 

Even more so when they didn't have arguably their best shooter.

[twinsnorth49]

Even more so when they didn't have arguably their best shooter.

Yes, agreed.

[stringer bell]

Two of the three best players disappointed. Lynch's silly first and third fouls took him off the floor for long stretches and robbed his aggressiveness, Mason had another poor shooting game. Murphy is a fine player, but he's much better when Lynch is a threat as Mason is "on". Curry really hurt the club on defense, blowing far too many assignments and not able to be physical with the MTSU bigs.

[bluechipper]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/19047845/college-basketball-way-too-early-top-25-rankings-2017-18

 

The Gophers come in at #17 in ESPN's Way Too Early Top 25. That seems fair. I'm really looking forward to watching Isaiah Washington. 

[bluechipper]

The Gophers got another good commitment for 2018 yesterday from Jarvis Thomas. He's really been on the rise nationally this summer, and hopefully he can convince Tre Jones to stay in Minnesota too.

[drjim]

Program is certainly heading in the right direction.

 

It will be very hard, but if they keep Jones and Hurt they go to the next level.

[drjim]

Another solid get for the Gophs in Gabe Kalscheur. Some disagreement on his ratings, but good to lock down borders. Now just needs to reel in the big fish.

[bluechipper]

Big road win last night against a solid Providence team. I cannot express in words just how much I enjoy watching Jordan Murphy play. He is going to have a huge season.

[drjim]

This is the season we have been waiting for with Pitino.

 

I do think the Curry injury limits their ceiling just a little.

[Sarah]

I was at the game on Wednesday and while it's always hard to judge when they are playing some random non-conference team (bitter rival Niagara this time...) they have some good big men in Murphy and Lynch which is always needed when you are playing in the Big Ten. Coffey had a good game - one thing that was weird to me is that he is listed as a guard but he seemed more like a small forward to me. I am excited to watch Gabe Kalscheur with the Gophers next year, I have watched him with DeLaSalle and he is a good one. Pure shooting guards are really fun to watch. 

 

It's funny I was thinking with Coffey, Washington, Kalscheur and Murphy next year they have an opportunity to have some good guard/forward play...too bad they are losing Lynch and none of the other center type players they have seem that great. Typical Minnesota sports team that has talented players but can't put it all together. 

[bluechipper]

 

It's funny I was thinking with Coffey, Washington, Kalscheur and Murphy next year they have an opportunity to have some good guard/forward play...too bad they are losing Lynch and none of the other center type players they have seem that great. Typical Minnesota sports team that has talented players but can't put it all together. 

Eric Curry and Daniel Oturu are the center type players you're forgetting. Curry was very good as a reserve as a freshman, and as long as he heals well from his ACL injury, he'll be a very good player. And Oturu is a huge get as a true center recruit. 247 sports has him as the #52 high school recruit in the country for 2018.

 

This season is probably their best shot as a national contender, but they're set up very well for the next few years too.

[drjim]

Eric Curry and Daniel Oturu are the center type players you're forgetting. Curry was very good as a reserve as a freshman, and as long as he heals well from his ACL injury, he'll be a very good player. And Oturu is a huge get as a true center recruit. 247 sports has him as the #52 high school recruit in the country for 2018.

 

This season is probably their best shot as a national contender, but they're set up very well for the next few years too.

There are two top 5ish players in the nation coming out of Minnesota the next two years. If they keep them both they can be a national contender. Can change in a hurry, and a big reason why this year is so critical.

[bluechipper]

 

There are two top 5ish players in the nation coming out of Minnesota the next two years. If they keep them both they can be a national contender. Can change in a hurry, and a big reason why this year is so critical.

Do you see this year's team as a national contender?

 

I think they are. They might be missing that one extra 3 point threat, but they have guys who could come into that role in Hurt, Harris, and especially Washington as a spark off the bench. And I think we'll have to wait and see if Fitzgerald can step into the Eric Curry role as the third big.

[drjim]

Do you see this year's team as a national contender?

 

I think they are. They might be missing that one extra 3 point threat, but they have guys who could come into that role in Hurt, Harris, and especially Washington as a spark off the bench. And I think we'll have to wait and see if Fitzgerald can step into the Eric Curry role as the third big.

If Fitzgerald is legit, I feel much better about the team. Wish they had one more guard too.

 

But they are good. And veteran. And Coffey has another level or two.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Watching for the first time this season against AAM right now. They seem poised against an, albeit vastly overmatched opponent. There is no such thing as an offensive boards when you’ve got Lynch and Murphy on the backend. Fitzgerald looks like he could make Curry’s absence hurt a lot less. Not bad.

[bluechipper]

Jamir Harris also showed how he has the ability to catch fire from 3.

[stringer bell]

I think they need another big to be a true contender for hardware. Especially true given Lynch’s foul-trouble history. I think they can play with anyone, but will lose a few games from outside shooting issues and the aforementioned depth problems in the #4 and #5 positions.

[Sarah]

Is Curry more of a power forward? I don't remember him much from last year, too bad he's injured but that's life. I forgot about Oturu, I haven't watched him at Cretin but he definitely seems like more of a center, will be interesting to see how he does with the Gophers too. 

[drjim]

So in the Gopher - Alabama basketball game, the entire Alabama bench got ejected for leaving during a skirmish, they then had a player foul out, and then a player was lost for the game for injury.

 

It's 5 on 3 for over 10 minutes.

 

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