Quick Strikes

• There is good Pavano and bad Pavano. Today was simply bad Pavano. Expect his next start to be 7 innings and 2 runs.
• Twins record is still very good but they are 5-6 in the last 11 games.
  
• Yes, Mauer and Morneau are clearly the best players, but the DL stint of Hardy is showing that he is one of our most important players. There is a world of difference between him as short versus Brendan Harris or Alexi Casilla.
• Did anyone out there expect the Wolves to get a top 3 pick. Never the less I am now hoping for the Wolves to draft Wesley Johnson. They are 6-7 players away from a decent team but he can be the scoring wing they need.
• I just realized how big of a Magic fan I am when it occurred that I was cheering J.J. Reddick. Dwight Howard is making me do crazy things.
• I know Detroit is only 2 back and has uber-slugger in Cabrera but does anyone still see them as a legitimate threat. Yes, we have Punto but they are putting Carlos Guillen at 2nd base and give consistent at-bats to Brandon Inge and Gerald Laird.
• It is a shame that the NHL does a horrible job of promoting its product and Americans hate anything Canadians love because playoff hockey is so underrated. On just a pure entertainment level it is surpassed only by March Madness and October Baseball. This San Jose - Chicago series is so fast and intense.
• If Trevor Mbakwe does actually leave the Gophers the program in one year will go from an up and coming perennial Big Ten title contender to a perennial NIT team. I don't think excitement can leave a team without Kevin McHale involved. Also if he is found not guilty, the pitchforks may be headed for Joel Maturi's office as he essentially guided the exit of Royce White and Mbakwe for a misdemeanor theft and trespassing.
  

Dreaming of What Could Be

Rivals has updated its Top 150 recruits for the Class of 2010 and it leads to dreams dancing in the minds of all Gopher fans. Here is where possible Gopher recruits fall on the list.

#2 Harrison Barnes - A 6'6" wing from Iowa who has some connections to the U.
Positives: Played on the same AAU as Royce and Rodney. His mom is a huge fan of Tubby and if he wants to stay close to home it is probably his best option.
Negatives: We are competing against every team in the nation and he is a Duke fan.
Likely Destination: Duke or Kansas

#6 Cory Joseph - 6'3" guard who is the brother of Devoe Joseph.
Positives: Brother is a major component on the current Gophers team. We have been recruiting him since before his junior year.
Negatives: With his stock soaring a lot of teams have gone after him with Louisville going hard after him.
Likely Destination: Depends on how the Pitino - Louisville situation ends up but it is likely the Gophs or Louisville.

#11 Jelan Kendrick - 6'6" wing from Georgia.
Positives: RSIII is from Georgia and we have been watching him for awhile.
Negatives: Isn't being recruited as hard as others and does not seem to be a priority compared to others.
Likely Destination: Kentucky or Georgia Tech

#26 Vander Blue - 6'3" guard from Wisconsin
Positive: Just recently de-committed from Wisconsin and it has been reported the Gophers are going to go hard after him.
Negative: It is believed he left Wisconsin to head to either Marquette or Louisville who were still after him while he was committed.
Likely Destination: Marquette

They may not get any of these players, but it is just another sign of the Tubby effect that 4 of the top players in the nation who aren't from Minnesota are giving the Gophers legitimate consideration. The Gophers have 3 scholarships for 2010. I think they will get 1 of these 4 players, a big man like Elliot Eliason or Alex Kirk and Jacob Thomas for 2010. We were all excited for the big class with Royce and Rodney but it is possible that would look like small potatoes. If we got Barnes and Joseph we would possibly have the #1 class in the nation. The future is truly bright in the Barn these days.

Tragedy and Other News

• After throwing six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics, 22-year old uber-prospect Nick Adenhart was killed in a hit-and-run accident after a driver ran a red light. This is a great tragedy to lose someone who was so young and future was so bright.
• Travis Busch has left the Gophers Basketball program. This is not a great surprise as there wasn't a scholarship for him next year and their also did not seem to be a lot of playing time for him also. Busch may not have been blessed with a lot of talent but he worked hard and contributed more than anyone thought he would when he transferred here from Cal-Poly.
• Royce White was named Mr. Basketball. The chairman of the award commented that he had the ability to score far more but chose to do whatever to make the team better and lead them to an undefeated season. For those that like to hate on Royce they fail to see how he came in to an already formed team and instead of making it his team and taking it over he found a role on the team that became one of the best in MSHSL history. I would look for him to do the same thing next year with the Gophers.
  
• I attended my first Twins game of the year last night. It was student night so I was way up in the Upper Level GA seats. Sitting 3 seats away from me was on Adam Weber and it was a shock in more than one way. He is listed by the Gophers at 6'3" 217. That is not true, he was shorter than me and at best he is 6'1" 210. He also had a less that stellar posse. You would expect the Big Ten quarterback would have a girl on each arm at a game but his posse was 5-6 guys who all looked to be 17 years old and seemed more likely to play D&D than football. Weber did have a good time and was a little drunk by end of the game.

Gillispie Out at Kentucky

After only two years at Kentucky, Billy Gillispie has been fired from Kentucky. Kentucky missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991. He was fired not just for the losses but how he handled himself by irritating everyone involved in the program. To date I have not been worried about Tubby leaving and was happy the Alabama job was filled but this one worries me. He is a former Kentucky assistant and Pitino protege. He is one of the hottest coaches in America and has been wanted by every AD with a vacant head coach. He would love to coach a big time program like Kentucky. I also think he would be perfect for the job. He handles his job with class and is loved by his players and staff. I think if Kentucky were to get Tubby he could turn the program around quickly. I could see him leading the Wildcats to a National Title, 3 Elite Eights, and 5 SEC titles. I think we might have seen the last of Tubby in maroon and gold and might have to get used to him in blue and white in Lexington.

Good News for Gopher Fans

BJ Mullens has decided to be the third straight Buckeye center to leave after his freshman year following Greg Oden (obvious decision) and Kosta Koufos (Could have used one more year). BJ Mullens is definitely not ready to contribute in the NBA but there will certainly be a lottery team willing to waste their pick on the 7 footers potential. With him leaving, the possible departure of Evan Turner and no incoming recruits in 2009, The Gophers should have one less team to compete for the Big Ten title with next year.

Offseason Goldy News and Thoughts

• Scout and Rivals have revealed their top 300 and 250 respectively for the football class of 2010 and the Gophers are off to a good start. Offensive lineman Jimmy Gjere is #161 overall on Rivals and a 4-star and #159 and a 4-star on Scout. Linebacker Konrad Zagzebski is #239 on Scout. Other notables Sentreal Henderson is #1 overall on both lists by a wide margin according to reports. Beau Allen is #247 on Scout.
• With Spring Football approaching the Daily Gopher noted that Brewster has started participating in the irritating fad that is Twitter. Here is his feed. Reading through this Brewster is devolving into just a characticture. Sometimes it is really hard to take him serious with the rah-rah nonsense that comes out of his mouth.
• Speaking of a character babbling non-sense Pat Reusse is at it again. Nothing gets me more annoyed than Pat Reusse taking potshots at the University of Minnesota. I don't know what the University did to him but he clearly hates the U. He writes an article about how every Gopher program this year was mediocre and collapsed and while it is true in some cases, he is stretching and bringing pessimism to a whole new level. He then ranks the disappointments in order of most disappointing.
• He claims the Volleyball team failed because it was ranked 10th nationally and lost at home in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Explain how to me that is a failure. The Washington Basketball team was ranked high and won the Pac-10 this year but lost in the second round in Portland to Purdue. Were they a failure? No, then why would the Volleyball team be one.
• Next is the Women's Hockey team that only won the WCHA crown, was ranked #1 for a lot of the year and lost in the Frozen Four to Mercyhurst. While it is disappointing they could not win, never is a trip to the Frozen Four a failure or a collapse. When it is one and done anything can happen.
• Wrestling came next. They were acknowledged to be in a down year and had a bad year but every powerhouse has a bad year as they finished 7th in the Big Ten tournament. I would take any bet that they will be a lot better next year.
• Then he had the balls to list the Men's Basketball team as a failure or collapse. He uses the excuse that the team was ranked #19 and was mediocre down the stretch. He claims that Damian Johnson regressed in Big Ten play and anyone who actually watched the team knows the opposite is true as he became our best player down the stretch. He doesn't dwell on the fact that this team won 9 games two years ago and still has 4 players from that team contributing. This team met or exceeded any rational expectations for this team heading into the season. I think Reusse would fit right in as a Kentucky Wildcat fan.
• He again thinks the Women's team failed for making the second round of the NCAA and beating a higher seed on its own home court. He was around when the Women were at the bottom and 100 people watched them in the Sports Pavilion and now being one of the top 32 teams isn't good enough.
• He then brings up the Gopher Football "collapse". What always is failed to be mentioned is that the Gophers never beat a bowl team the whole year. They did not collapse they just beat crappy teams early. People thought the Illinois and Purdue wins were impressive but they ended up not to be. The Gopher football team definitely has not been an overnight success but they did improve over 2007 and there is no reason to believe they won't improve on 2008 next year.
• Then finally he brings up the Hockey collapse. While I admit that it was a terrible collapse and this team had way too much talent to miss the NCAA tournament, he took it too far. Here is his quote about the hockey team "Don Lucia again turning his Yankees of college hockey into the St. Paul Saints". I don't even fully get the analogy and to say it is an overeaction is to put it mildly. They finished as the 15th best team in the nation and while they disappointed this year they certainly were not a minor league team.
• I'm sorry for the rant and it is probably hard to follow and read but I hate Reusse and I don't get why he feels necessary to rip the U. If Tubby wins the Big Ten next year, Reusse will either write an article about some old football coach talking about his playing days at Gustavus or he will take the day off and wait until they lose in the tournament and rip the failure of the program.
  

It's Been a Good Year and the Future is Bright

Well, just like that the Gophers season is over. To break down what happened in the Texas game takes just one sentence. Abrams got hot and the Gophers panicked. It was a 3 point lead in the second half and then Abrams hit 4 straight threes. The Gophers then tried to score quick and from the outside and with this team that is a disaster. Damian Johnson did well on Damian James, but no one was stopping A.J. Abrams and no matter how hard Sampson and Iverson tried they were never going to be able to hold down Pittman who only Dejuan Blair might be able to stop.

This loss does not detract from what was a good season. The program has excitement that has not been around since 1997. This team made the NCAA tournament with NIT talent. This loss early should drive the returning players and especially the freshman to work hard in the offseason so this doesn't happen this year. Kentucky message boards in an effort to disparage the Tubby success says that the Gopher fans are just happy to be in the tournament and have low expectations. That was true this year but that is not the expectation for next year. I expect them to not be on the bubble and I expect them to be playing a lower seeded program in the opening round next year and not the 9 seed.

In a lame attempt at a season recap I will show the Gophers resume as if they were the next opponent.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (22-11, 10-10)

Wins to Showcase:

• Vs. Louisville 70-64
• at Wisconsin 78-74

Losses to Hide From:

• at Northwestern 65-74
• at Penn State 63-68

Assets:

• Interior Defense: This team had four very capable shot blockers in Sampson, Iverson, Johnson and Carter. They also after some issues in the non-conference schedule became a very good rebounding team. With the addition of bulk in Mbakwe and White, I don't see any opponent having any success down low next year.
• Free Throw Shooting: Outside of Colton Iverson, this entire team is very good at shooting free throws. That may seem small but many games were salted away by Westbrook and others not missing a free throw down the stretch. Sampson is very good at 75% that will be very benficial for a big man who should see the line a lot in his future.
• Damian Johnson: I don't care what the coaches decided but Damian Johnson is the best defensive player in the Big Ten. He can guard almost every postion and is all over the place with blocks, steals and rebounds. Towards the end of the season his offensive game really started to develop. He ended the season with 9.8 ppg but in the last 8 games he averaged 12.1 ppg. If he continues to develop in the offseason he can be a 14-15 point scorer next year while providing his world class defense.

Issues:

• Outside shooting: This was what held the Gophers back all season. They lacked a scorer who makes threes in their sleep that all successful teams have in College Basketball. Going into the season many asssumed it would be Blake Hoffarber but that just did not happen this year. Westbrook can make them but for often then not forced a contested one. Joeseph didn't shoot a lot and was also hot and cold. This is my biggest worry for next year as the recruiting class does not address this issue. The Gophers will need Hoffarber to bounce back and Joseph develop his shot and confidence where he can be that shooter. I think it is possible but we can not shoot like we did this year and be successful next year.
• Turnovers: We were too sloppy with the basketball too often. Many blamed Nolen for this issue but he had an assist to turnover ratio of 2.5 which is pretty good. It wasn't one persons fault but the team as a whole. For a poor shooting team like the Gophers they needed all the possessions they can get. This should improve next year with everyone becoming more experience and improving.
• Go-To Scorer: Lawrence Westbrook usually tried to fulfill this role but he is merely just holding it for someone else. A slow 6' footer with a mediocre shot is not who you want to be counting on down the stretch. The Gophers lacked some one like A.J. Abrams who you can count on to get hot and take over the game. They need a player or players that they can count on for 15-20 points a game and to get us through the lulls that plaugued us this year. I see Sampson, White and Joseph potentially be one of those guys but I don't know if that will be by next year. One thing I do see is Westbrook won't be the only player averaging double digits.

It was an exciting year and while sometimes frustrating it was a very enjoyable year. This will be a very long offseason as Midnight Madness can not come fast enough. This season was a stepping stone and next year should be the beginning of a long and beautiful run as a player in the college basketball scene.

Texas Game Preview

#10 Minnesota Golden Gophers (22-10) vs. #7 Texas Longhorns (22-11)

The whole season has been leading to this. Will the Gophers just be happy to make the tournament or will they strive for more? Regardless of the outcome this should be a good game with two great coaches and fairly equal teams. Here is Texas' resume:

Wins to Showcase:

• Vs. Oklahoma 73-68
• Vs. Villanova 67-58

Losses to Hide From:

• at Arkansas 61-67
• vs. Kansas State 81-85

Assets:

• Interior Defense: Average 42 rebounds a game 22nd in nation and 5.5 blocks a game for 10th best in nation.
• Damion James: Averages 15.4 ppg and 9.2 rebounds. Here is a ferocious rebounder for someone who is only 6'7".
• A.J Abrams: Averages 16.3 ppg while shooting 38.9% from behind the arc.

Issues:

• 3-pt shooting: Shoot 32.1% from behind the arc for 257th in the nation.
• Free throw shooting: Shoot 67.1% from the line for 236th in the nation.
• Ball Control: 12.5 turnovers per game for 283rd in the nation.

There should be an asterisk by the Oklahoma win as Blake Griffin went down in that game with a concussion. Texas might be our long lost twin. Trouble with ball control and outside shooting. Good rebounding team that blocks shots. They went into the Kohl Center and took a win from Wisconsin. They lost at home to Michigan State. They were once highly ranked only to come back to earth in conference play. Outside of Wisconsin struggled to win on the road losing to Arkansas and Nebraska. Looking at the Texas team there is a lot of Gophers in them.

Interesting Things to Watch

• DJ vs. DJ: That is All-Defensive Team Damian Johnson versus All Big 12 second team Damion James. They are both 6'7" slashers who rebound. Damian Johnson needs to win this matchup while producing on the offensive end if the Gophers are going to have a chance.
• Dexter Pittman vs. the Twin Towers: There has been a lot made of this matchup but it is justified. The Towers have struggled to this point against physical big men like Goran Sutton. With this team's inabliity to score from the outside, the Gophers aren't able to win if Iverson and Sampson can't get touches and points inside.

Prediction

Texas and Minnesota play a very similar game and have similar faults. The difference is that once the shot clock is running down they have a guy who can take the shot in A.J. Abrams. They have the go to guy they can ride that the Gophers do not have. The Gophers will have to try to combat that with defensive intensity and depth. The biggest issue is that while Sampson and Iverson have grown and got tougher this year they are only freshman and having to guard Dexter Pittman on National Television is a tough task. This game should be close for the majority of the game but in the end an offensive drought somewhere in the game will be the Gophers undoing.

Texas 67, Gophers 62

Why I Can't Wait for the Gophers to be a Powerhouse

In anticipation I was thinking about the upcoming Gopher game. I was happy to see that we are getting Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg doing the game because I do enjoy them. Then I thought about the thing I hate the most about the Gophers not being a known commodity. Those of us following the Gophers have to hear the same damn info about our team every time we get new announcers. So here is a checklist of what you are going to hear when Nantz and Kellogg cover us for the first time.

• Did you know that Lawrence Westbrook is a cousin to Eagles running back Brian Westbrook? They will mention this after he makes a drive to the hoop. They will then comment how he is built like a fullback or halfback. They will remark on how he barrells into the lane like a running back despite going the speed of a truck and not a 4.4 running back. They may also mention that he scored 40 ppg as a high school senior.
• Did you know that Ralph Sampson III is the son of legend Ralph Sampson Jr? They will make this comment after his first block or hook shot. They will then pan to his father for 15 seconds, who looks to not be enjoying himself at all. Clark Kellogg will then remark about how good Ralph Sampson Jr. was and how he won 3 Player of the Year awards.
• Did you know Devoe Joseph is from Canada? After his first long range make, they will remark that the young freshman hails from Ajax, Onterio in Canada.
• Did you know Damian Johnson has the wingspan of a 7 footer? This will be said after his first block how he is only 6'7" but he is quick and has a 7 foot wingspan.
• Did you know Paul Carter has moved a lot? This will happen if he contributes but it usually is only spoken while he is at the free throw line.
• Did you know Blake Hoffarber has been nominated for two ESPYS? This hasn't been mentioned much this year because he has had limited success this year. It might also not get mentioned because it is usually on ESPN to pimp their own awards.

This will all be mentioned in between non-stop gushing over Tubby Smith. They will mention his national title, NCAA appearances and consecutive 20-win seasons. They will mention how he was not appreciated by Kentucky and likely how Kentucky is not in the tournament.

This is why I can't wait for the Gopher powerhouse. I look forward to turning to ESPN and CBS and not having to listen to the announcers try and introduce the Gophers through unique meaningless stories. Instead they won't have to because the nation will already know about Ralph Sampson, Royce White and Rodney Williams.

Bring on the Longhorns

I woke up Sunday morning confident about the Gophers chances. Then I had to watch Mississippi State win the Battle of who wanted to lose less to Tennessee. I started get to worried as both ESPN and CBS had the Gophers as one of the last four in. Then the show started and when Arizona was in I got even more nervous. Then Maryland was in as a 10 seed. Then a Wisconsin team that most had more in than the Gophers was a 12 seed. I thought for sure we were screwed. Then came the magical moment. The Gophers are the 10 seed in the East Bracket playing the 7 seed Texas. Thank God. Here is the Gophers' reaction. The game will be Thursday night at 6:10 PM, which means I will have to surf between the game and the hockey team's Final Five game against Minnesota-Duluth. My priority will definitely be the basketball game.

We made it to the tournament in Tubby's second season. We went from a 9 win team missing the NIT to a 22 win team in the NCAA tournament in two seasons. I think we all forget that sometimes. This team had to replace 32.7 ppg from an NIT team and turned it into an NCAA team. While not many tears where shed for the loss of Spencer Tollackson not many teams lose their top 3 scorers and improve the next year.

I will do a preview of the game later in the week but from here on out it is all gravy. The goal for this team was to make the tournament. It may have temporarily changed after the Louisville win and top 20 ranking but that was found to be fool's gold as the Gophers hit the road in the Big Ten. They came back to reality and so did the expectations. This team is supposed to just make the tournament for experience for next year which the expectations will be raised. We get at least one more game to watch the Gophers and we should enjoy it and reflect on all the excitement and intrigue they have given us this year and how bright the future is.

And Now We Play the Waiting Game

While not a lock to be in the tournament, the Gophers with the win over Northwestern and playing MSU very tough they are in very good shape. They played very hard, and fared the best out of the three matchups. They were done in the by the same issues (lack of outside shooting, turnovers) but they also found a new issue. They were terrible at free-throw shooting. They are typically a very good free throw team shooting 72.6% on they year. Today they went 13-27 or 48%. If they went 21-27 from the line it is a tie game. The Gophers have enough offensive issues that they do need to be creating more.

The player of the game was Damian Johnson. He lead all scorers with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. He drew the defensive assignment of Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe. They combined for 5 points and 8 fouls. He is our best player and continues to prove it every game.

I know other blogs are doing this but here is a summary of what has hurt or helped the Gophers chances.

Hurt the Gophers

• Baylor is hanging around by beating Texas. They are in the Big 12 title game against Missouri. They are not a at-large team but if they win they will steal a bid from a bubble team.
• Maryland beat Wake Forest. Maryland was looking for a high-quality win and they got it by beating Wake. They have wins against UNC, MSU and Wake. They still have a worse resume than the Gophers but that will change if they beat Duke in the Semis.
• Temple beat Xavier and San Diego State beat BYU. They both became likely at-large teams who can both be automatics if they win their conference title games. I don't think they knock off the Gophers but they will push them closer to the bubble with less at-large spots.
• USC beat UCLA. They are a legitimate at-large team now. I still think they have a worse resume than the Gophers but that could change if they beat ASU in the title game and got an automatice bid.
  

Helped the Gophers

• Penn State lost convincingly to Purdue. Penn State will be the first team from the Big Ten not invited. I don't think Penn State will make the tournament.
• Kentucky lost to LSU. Kentucky is done and we don't have to worry about the legacy pick.
• Virginia Tech lost to UNC. Virginia Tech is no longer an option.
• South Carolina lost by 18. Another team with a worse resume than the Gophers.

What to hope for tommorrow

• Missouri crushing Baylor
• Maryland losing to Duke
• Temple wins the A-10
• USC loses to ASU
  

In summary, the Gophers are in fairly good shape but it is not for certain in the wacky NCAA. If Baylor, USC and Duquesne steal automatic bids the Gophers could be in real trouble. It looks like the Gophers right now will be a 11 seed. If they can bring the intensity and effort they have the last two days along with a confident Devron Bostick, this team can win the first round game but it would be safe to assume that it would end there.

Gophers Now in Good Shape

I was unable to preview the Northwestern game as I had a family matter to attend to but everyone knew the stakes for the game. Lose and we were NIT bound and win and we are very likely to be in. I hesitate to say that we are in because crazy things could happen like Cleveland St. stealing a bid by beating Butler. It also won't help if we get crushed by Michigan St. tomorrow. If we play tough and keep it close we should be in the tournament.

The player of the game was Ralph Sampson III. He put up 9 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 assists. He was a physical presence defensively down low and when ever the Gophers finally got the ball into him down low good things happen. He went 3-3 and that wasn't because of being timid it was because the Gophers were not able to feed the post. He has matured so much this year. In the beginning of the year most thought Iverson was the better player. Iverson still has flashes but Sampson has blossomed and has potetial to grow even more. He should be an absolute force down low next year.

The Gophers won but the problems that plauge them were still very present. They went 4-19 behind the arc and the half court offense was non-existent. This team also won for the same reason they always do. Defense. They play the best defense in the Big Ten when they want to. They had 11 blocks and 7 steals. They won this becuase once Northwestern tied the game the defense cracked down and held Northwestern scoreless for 7 minutes and went on a 14-0 run.

This was a much needed victory but it might get ugly tomorrow. We do not matchup well with MSU at all and they are finally healthy and playing their best basketball right now. The Gophers still need to show up and give their best effort. If they get blown out by 30 it won't be hard for the selection committee to leave them out. Prediction: MSU 77, Gophers 58

Stats of the Game

• 3-16: Craig Moore's shooting in the game. He had 8 points. He put up 22 in the win over Minnesota and was averaging 14.4 on the season.
• 9: Turnovers by the Gophers. It is the lowest total since turning it over 9 times against Eastern Washington on 11/26/08.
• 5-5: Sampson and Iverson from the field. We have to find a way to get it down low more often. If the guards can't shoot they could at least get it to someone who can.
  

Michigan Review

It took me this long to be able to write about this game. I still don't fully understand how we lost that game. The Gophers played 35 minutes of some of the best basketball all year. They were making crisp passes, shooting and everyone was contributing. Then it just stopped. Westbrook tried taking it all on himself but we weren't playing the Badgers so it was unsuccessful. We shot 55%, 94.7% from the free throw line. We outrebounded them 30-13 but we lost.

There were a lot of questions with the amount of useage of the seniors JAS and Williams. JAS justified his by putting up 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes. Williams did not do so getting 2 points, 3 rebounds and 3 turnovers in 16 minutes. It frustrated me to no end the fact that he played 16 minutes and Colton did not play. I then found that Iverson was injured during practice and was unable to play.

Looking back with sme clarity and understanding there were two reasons for the loss. One is the continued lack of someone who can consistently carry the team and take the big shots down the stretch of the game. The other was the foul trouble of Damian Johnson. He sets the intensity of the defense. He got his 4th foul around 8 minutes left. He came back with 4 minutes left but he played timid. He was scared of picking up the 5th foul so he lacked the defensive intensity of the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Michigan scored at will down the stretch and the defense that we have come used to wasn't there and it was due to DJ being in foul trouble. It was evident in DeShawn Sims ending up with 24 points.

Coming into this homestand I believed we needed to win both games to make the tournament, but with other teams blowing their chances (Kentucky, Penn State, Maryland, etc.) the Gophers are not out of it at all. As the 8 seed in the Big Ten tournament they will play Northwestern in the first round. I believe that if they beat Northwestern on Thursday they will be in the tournament. No one will expect them to then beat Michigan State so it will not hurt to lose in the quarterfinals as long as they don't get totally embarassed. It won't be for sure if they only beat Northwestern but I would expect them to make it. It would also help if Penn State loses right away and there are no major upsets in the other tournaments. Here is the bracket for the Big Ten tournament.

Stats of the Game

• 18: Turnovers by the Gophers. For a team with offensive problems it does us no favors turning the ball over as much as we do. Interestingly, the only Gopher who did not turn the ball over is much-maligned Al Nolen. DJ, Williams and Westbrook lead with 3 turnovers each.
• 4-32: Gophers behind the arc in the last 3 games. The way college basketball is played it is a shock we even won one of the three games. I'm worried that with all the hype of next year's team the lack of outside shooting will undue us next year also. We need Hoffarber and Joseph.
• February 4: The last time Westbrook missed a free throw. He is 21-21 since then. I have never been a huge Westbrook fan but he is 88% from the line this year and it has helped us down the stretch in a few games this year.
  

Michigan Game Preview-Regular Season Finale

Minnesota Golden Gophers (21-8, 9-8) vs. Michigan Wolverines (18-12, 8-9)

Set your alarm clocks for tomorrow morning as this game will be at 11 am. It is also Senior Night. Usually that is an emotional and intense thing but I don't see many tears shed for the departure of Jamal Abu-Shamala and Jon Williams. With Penn State's win over Illinois and Northwestern's drive onto the bubble, Michigan might need more than a win in this game to be in the tournament. That being said they need to win this game or it is over for Michigan. Here is there resume:

Wins to Showcase:

• vs. Duke 81-73
• vs. UCLA 55-52

Losses to Hide From:

• at Iowa 60-70
• at Penn State 58-73

Previous Result

• Michigan 74, Minnesota 62

Michigan thoughly beat Minnesota in the previous match-up. The problem wasn't Harris or Sims it was allowing Zach Novak, Stu Douglass, and Kelvin Grady to combine for 42 points when they average 17.6 points per game. Michigan hit 13 3-pointers shooting 46.4%. They average 32.7% from behind the arc on the year. That is worse than the Gophers. It is safe to say they will not shoot as well as they did in the previous game. The question is how much worse will they shoot.

The biggest problem for Michigan is taking the show on the road. They make the Gophers look like road warriors. They are 2-8 on the road this year with the two wins at Indiana and an overtime win at Northwestern. They average 60 points on the road versus 71.8 ppg at home. I know I have said that games in March come down to who needs it more and Michigan needs this more. However, I just don't see how a team that lost a must-win game at Iowa is going to come into the Barn and beat our ferocious defense that allows only 54.9 ppg at home. Tubby has this team seeing a chance to clinch a spot in the NCAA and the crowd should be able to help them accomplish this goal. I don't see the letdown happening at the Barn on Saturday.

Gophers 63, Michigan 56

Other News

• The Gophers football team has had a good week on the recruiting trail. Early in the week they got the commitment of Antoine Lewis a cornerback from Illinois. He is listed as having 4.3 speed. That is obviously wrong but he should have good speed. They then finished the week getting the first 2010 commitment from the state of Minnesota by getting Jimmy Gjere an offensive lineman from Irondale. He is considered the 3rd best prospect in Minnesota behind Henderson and Beau Allen. He already had offers from Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio State. The rankings aren't out yet for the 2010 class but Lewis should be a 3-star and Gjere could be a 4-star recruit.
• The Gophers basketball team has added a walk-on for the 2009 team. It added Dominique Dawson from Minneapolis Soutwest. He is a 6'7" forward who is averaging 21.9 ppg. He will not be getting any playing time and will be nothing more than a body but he is a big body that should help Mbakwe and Royce White in practice. He also might have the potential to contibute in a few years as he is big and athletic. He played wide reciever in high school catching for 34 passes for 664 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also wrestled as a freshman. If Bostick and Payton stick around next year which is questionable, the addition of Bryant Allen and Dawson will have 17 players on the roster. That is a lot of bodies.
  

Wisconsin Game Review

I have never been a huge Westbrook fan but as much as I dislike him, the whole state of Wisconsin hates him. He has been inconsistent all year and has disappeared for most of the Big Ten but he has single-handedly beat Wisconsin twice when we had no business winning either. Westbrook didn't equal the 29 he scored in Madison but he scored 15 all in the second half. He scored the last 10 points for the Gophers.

This was a huge win. If we had lost that game we would have needed a huge run in the Big Ten tournament. Now, if we beat Michigan on Saturday, we will be in the tournament regardless of how the Big Ten tournament turns out. In fact CBS Sports with the win moved us off the bubble and has us listed as safe. It might be true but I would not like to test that theory by going 0-2.

Another interesting development was that of Devoe Joseph. He started the game at point guard in place of Al Nolen who has been much maligned in the blogosphere. He did not do much only getting 2 points, 2 rebounds and 0 assists but the interesting thing was at the end of the game when we needed stops he was out there and not Nolen. He was in charge of stopping Hughes when we desperately needed stops and he did. He forced back to back misses from Hughes and he also had a hand in the shooters face for both missed 3's down the stretch. While I think he is better as a shooting guard, his defense has drastically improved this season and I would guess he will get the starting nod again on Saturday.

Stats of the Game

• 53.6%: Percentage of Gophers scoring by Westbrook in the second half. He won this game for us down the stretch by being the scorer in the half court.
• 11.25: PPG for Damian Johnson in the last 4 games, outside of Westbrook down the stretch he is the only one who consistently gives the effort and is trying to will the team into the NCAA's. He has become the on-court leader this team needs. He is a lock to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
• 2-22: The Gophers from behind the arc in the last 2 games. They currently have no perimeter game. The two 3's were made by Paul Carter and Travis Busch, not exactly the likely suspects. This team would be so different if Blake returned to last year's form but it just is not going to happen.
  

Wisconsin Preview

Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-8, 8-8) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (18-10, 9-7)

March Basketball is officially upon us and it comes in the form of a doozy. This game will be very similar to the Illinois game, it may not be high-scoring and beautiful to look at but it should be a very intense game and an exciting game to watch. Wisconsin is likely already in the tournament but I guarantee they have not forgotten the Gophers rallying to beat them at Kohl to send them into a 6 game spiral. They would relish the chance to severly damage our NCAA chances. Here is Wisconsin's resume:

Wins to showcase:

• Vs. Illinois 63 - 50
• Vs. Ohio State 55 - 50

Losses to hide from:

• at Iowa 69 - 73
• at Northwestern 63 - 66

Previous Result

• Gophers 78, Wisconsin 74

I think it is safe to assume that we can not count on getting 29 points from Westbrook and 11 from Bostick. I would also bet against a double-double by Paul Carter. This game will be nothing like the previous game. However, I bet the Gophers press for most of the game and the length and althleticism of Johnson and Carter should still cause problems for the Badgers.

Wisconsin is a legendary tough team at Kohl but it does not always translate to the road. This year they are 4-6 on the road with the best win at Michigan but they have also lost to Iowa and Northwestern. When it comes to games in March it always seems to come down to who wants the game more and plays like it. While Wisconsin has the revenge motivation and a win will clinch their berth in the tournament I have to believe the Gophers want it more. They need this game and they have been practicing for a week for this game with Tubby in their ear about how much they need this game. This is a different team at home mainly because they play stifling defense (holding Big Ten opponents to 56.14 ppg) and actually make an outside jump shot. I think the Gophers desperation will outweigh the Badgers want for revenge.

Gophers 57, Wisconsin 53

Covering the Bases

• I have always held the contention that I thought the Gophers need to win both home games. With Michigan's surprise win over Purdue, it is a fact now and not a thought. In Lunardi's latest bracketology, Minnesota is the first team out and Michigan is the last team in. We have to go 10-8 in conference or put on quite a show in the Big Ten tournament.
• Trevor Mbakwe has been named the FCAAA Southern Conference Player of the Year. While we have been lilted by other JUCO Player of the Years (Bostick), I am not expecting that to happen with Mbakwe. He isn't great offensively but he should come in and get 8 rebounds a game and 2-3 blocks. We should next year have one of the best interior defenses in the nation.
• Baseball America has an interview with Eric Decker. In it they describe him as one of the premier athletes in the 2009 draft class. In it Decker talks about how he doesn't have a favorite sport. His future is clearly in baseball and I think there is a slight chance he might not suit up for the Gophers in the fall. I think he would love to play his senior season, but if a team comes along and offers a big bonus it may be hard to pass up especially considering the beating he takes in football could hurt his baseball future. It depends on how he plays this year but I think there is at least a 20% chance he leaves. That would crush any hope the football team has for next year.
• Due to frustration with the current Gopher hockey team and because I am a masochistic I thought about what the hockey team would look like this year if no one left early. If you can stomach it here is what the team would look like:

Okposo (Jr.) Kessel (Sr.) Wheeler (Sr.)
Stoa (Jr.) Schroeder (Fr.) Barriball (Jr.)
Hoeffel (Soph.) O'Brien (Jr.) Flynn (Jr.)
Lucia (Jr.) Carman (Jr.) White (Soph.)

Johnson (Jr.) Fairchild (Soph.)
Ness (Fr.) Fischer (Jr.)
Bickel (Soph.) Anderson (Sr.)

Kangas (Soph.)
Frazee (Sr.)

It is safe to say I don't think that team would have trouble getting home ice and making the NCAA tournament.

• It is early but my choice of Danny Valencia as the #1 Twins prospect looks good so far. In two spring training games he is 4-4 with 4 singles and 1 rbi. Wilson Ramos also has showed off his potential by throwing out two Yankees in his only appearance so far. The Twins are 3-0 so far if that means anything.
  

Illini Game Review

This game was more of a shame than anything else. The effort was there, the intensity was there, the defense was there. They just could not hit a jumper to save their life. They didn't just miss the shots they bricked the shots. There had to been at least double digit shots that didn't hit the rim. It seemed as if the guards were more interested in breaking the rim than making a shot. It was almost comical if it wasn't so depressing. If they shot even reasonably well we could have won that game. It was there for the taking but we didn't capitalize. This does not hurt our chances but I think the Gophers need to win both games at home to close out the season or put on a good run in the Big Ten tournament.

The player of the game is not hard to find in this game. There was not a single thing the Damian Johnson did not do. His line is incredible but it still does not do him justice to how he played tonight. He ended up with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks. He was absolutely everywhere. Also playing well were the two freshman down low. Ralph had 8 points and 4 rebounds and Colton had 4 points and 8 rebounds.

While Johnson was the hero we also have goats of the game. Lawrence Westbrook and Al Nolen cost us this game. They combined for 8 turnovers and only 4 points and 1 assist. They did nothing and they caused nothing but turnovers and bricks. To be a good NCAA team you need guard play. Find a team that is elite without a point guard. A lot of people are fed up with Nolen and say that he has regressed. He has not regressed he has just faced the Big Ten. He is not to the point yet where he is an elite point guard. He needs to develop a shot. Also we need him because while he is struggling Devoe Joseph is more of a combo guard and can not run the offense as a starter.

The Gophers are still alive but they have two big games coming up. They have played well at home but the Wisconsin game scares me a lot. Wisconsin needs the win and they are mad about the Gophers winning at Kohl and starting the 6 game losing streak. We will face a very determined Wisconsin team. It helps that we have 5 days to prepare.

Stats of the Game

• 5-35: Shooting by Gophers not named Johnson, Sampson or Iverson. That is 14%. That is unimaginable. This team lacks a shooter and the problem is that even though the incoming recruits are good none are good shooters so those on the team need to step up.
• 1-14: Gophers 3-pt shooting. That is 7%. A high school team would put up better perimeter shooting than that.
• 37-25: The rebounding edge for the Gophers. This was the only reason it was close. The Gophers got 15 offensive rebounds but that is easier with so many bricks.
  

Thursday Ranting

I don't know whether it is due to the blizzard while it should be spring or not but I'm in the mood for a good ol' rant so here we go:

• Now this may be because I was laid off from the Minnesota Daily over the summer and they have also been jerking around my buddy in the sports department but the paper is delving into an absolutely sub-par student paper. It is poorly written and the students are just there to be paid and put it on their resume. They proved my point today with an article about how the reason for the Gophers energy on Sunday was the return of one Kevin Payton. Without the Daily I would not have known that the reason for the stingy defense and effort was due to the guy who came in the final minute and has yet to score this year. The title is even worse. Gophers feeling energized as Payton returns to the floor. He is never on the floor unless they have a 20 point lead or it is warm-ups. The argument the article makes is that he talks and is a vocal leader. Anyone can talk. Maybe the Gophers should get Chris Tucker to practice with them. He is probably just as good at basketball and he does a lot of talking. I guess if we are playing in March we all have Kevin Payton to thank.

• On the Star Tribune the Twins beat writer posted the lineups for the Twins opening spring game against Boston. Here is a sampling of some of the comments:
  
• I don't like Cuddy batting 4th not high enough average
• Why is LNP (Nick Punto) batting 2nd and why is Cuddy in RF?
• You still want a leadoff-type hitter to lead off and a cleanup-type hitter to hit cleanup. So why bat Morneau third? ST is to make guys comfortable. Why screw with his routine?
• The idiot (Gardenhire) just couldn't resist but to bat Punto 2nd

• I do not get the Twins fans who seem to only be fans to complain. I'm not saying I love everything the Twins did but why search for reasons to complain. Punto and Morneau were batting higher to get more at bats before they leave for the WBC. One poster was adamant we were screwing with Morneau by batting him 3rd instead of clean-up. First off he won MVP hitting 5th so I think he can hit anywhere in the lineup. He also didn't complain about Nathan pitching in the 4th. Spring Training wins and losses mean actually nothing and to complain about the lineup means you need either a girlfriend, a job, or a hobby. The complaints about Gardenhire I also don't get. The Twins have won 4 division titles in his 7 years as coach. 2007 is the only year they finished below .500 at 79-83. If you respond but we expect more than you are an idiot. We have had the most consistent success this decade by a team not in New York or Boston. He is coming off a season in which he took a team predicted to finish 4th or 5th in the division, losing Santana and Hunter. He finished with 88 wins for a team that finished last in the AL in home runs and had Scott Baker as the elder statesman on the starting pitching staff. The Twins consistently do better than projections or pre-season picks except for maybe the 2007 season. This team is young, fast, and has probably the best line-up they have had under Gardenhire. So please say the bitterness and armchair managing until at least June.

That helped for awhile I'm sure after the Gophers come out flat against Illinois I will be in the mood for more ranting. We shall see.

Boof Out, Comcast Sucks and Illini Preview

• As it looked more and more likely Boof Bonser will be out for the season with a torn labrum. This doesn't cause great issues considering his role was a middle reliever and I think Phil Humber can fill that role. It is disappointing for Boof because I think he has the stuff where he could have become a good set-up guy and some day might be a decent closer. I don't think we will ever see Boof in a Twins uniform again and that is too bad because he was a stand-up guy and had a great name.
• I hate Comcast. I don't know if all cable companies are as ruthless but Comcast is truly an evil empire. First, there was the whole dispute with the Big Ten Network. After enjoying watching every Big Ten game in a very competitive conference and watching the Gophers, I can't fathom not having the Big Ten Network. Now the package I have is suppossed to include the MLB Network. I was looking forward to watching the Twins Spring training game, World Baseball games and more regular season games. One problem, I don't get the channel. Every channel that is in the package comes in perfectly fine except the MLB Network which is currently a black screen. I hate Comcast.
• Finally here is my Illini game preview

Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-7, 8-7) at #20 Illinois Fighting Illini (22-6, 10-5)

I think it is safe to assume that Illinois is going to try and score 100 points given we held them to 36 points earlier this season. The interesting thing is that isn't even their lowest point total this season. They scored only 33 points at home against Penn State. I think Illinois will come out angry trying to avenge the embarrassing loss and keep their slim hopes of a Big Ten title alive. Here is the Illinois resume:

Wins to Showcase:

• at Missouri 75 - 59
• at Purdue 71 - 67

Losses to hide from:

• vs Penn State 33 - 38
• at Minnesota 36 - 59

Previous Result

• Minnesota 59, Illinois 36

The reason for the win over Illinois was simple. We won the game down low. We outrebounded them 40-26. RSIII got 10 points and 7 boards. Illinois two 7 footers, who average 21.9 ppg and 11.8 rebs, combined for only 4 points and 7 rebounds. That will be the key again if the Gophers are going to pull off the upset and win in Illinois. Illinois is not a jump shooting team and if you can get great interior defense Illinois has trouble scoring as evidenced in the previous result.

Prediction

The Twin Towers still struggle offensively but they are very good defensively. They block shots very well and are active down low. They won the Illinois game and also were crucial in the Louisville win. If they play well on defense and some guard (Joseph, Westbrook, Hoffarber) gets hot from the outside we could pull it off. The problem is this game is on the road and even though we are on the bubble a loss here does not hurt our chances at all. The biggest issue on the road has been lack of defensive intensity and poor shooting. I don't see that changing in a hostile environment against a very solid team.

Illinois 63, Minnesota 52