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

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.
  

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

Michigan Review

We have officially have hit zero on the margin of error scale. The Gophers have three home games remaining and assuming they won't win at Illinois they will need to win all three games at home. All three games (Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan) are winnable but they have no room for a bad game or a slip up. They have to turn it around but it helps they head back to the friendly confines. It is hard to know how much of the slump can be attributed to being on the road or how much is the struggling of the Gophers.

It is hard to think with the struggles that if the season ended today the Gophers would still likely be in the tournament. There RPI is still 38. They are higher than teams like Gonzaga, Arizona, Texas and Florida . That said I don't think they can go 2-2 and make the tournament unless they make a serious run in the Big Ten tournament.

On to the game itself. It comes down to one simple reason that I didn't think would be a problem. Defense. They had no perimeter defense allowing Michigan to make 13 3-pointers. It is no secret that the Gophers love the blocked shot and so Michigan would penetrate and the whole team would converge looking for the block and he would simply kick it out to a wide open shooter and they hit it. The other issue was getting back on defense. There were multiple times the Wolverines just beat the defense down the court and got easy layups and dunks.

The Gophers player of the game is the same as last game. Devoe Joseph again lead the team in scoring with 14 points and 4 assists. We wasn't as hot as he was against Penn State but still went 5-9 and 3-6 from behind the arc. He got significant playing time with 31 minutes and Nolen only had 18 minutes. I would look for Joseph to start in place of Westbrook on Sunday which would be good because Westbrook is my least favorite player and he showed why again yesterday. This team is lacking a leader and he is an anti-leader. He is selfish with the ball and if he is not scoring he does nothing else, he doesn't play defense and gives no effort what so ever. He got 12 points yesterday but it took him 15 shots to do so. I can't wait till we get more talent next year so Westbrook can fade to the background and we don't need him.

Stats of the Game

• 28: Points scored by Michigan inside the 3 point arc. 39 points came from behind the arc.
• 30: Points scored by Zach Novak and Stu Douglass. They average a combined 12.6 ppg for the season.
• 3.9: PPG by Colton Iverson in Big Ten games. He can block shots and rebound but he has disappeared as a low post threat. Lack of low post scoring is the biggest reason for the half-court offense struggles.
  

Illini Game Review

If anyone says that they saw that happening I'd call you a Blogo. To say we played a great defensive game is an understatement. We allowed 36 points to a Big Ten opponent. According to the Gophers Media Guide, this was the second lowest total ever behind 32 by Nicholls State in 2007. This was the lowest we have ever held a Big Ten opponent in our entire history. It was the lowest total that Illinois has been held to in 24 years. It wasn't them missing open shots. It was them not getting any open shots.

The Player of the Game is a duo of the game tonight. The Twin Towers announced that they are here and a force to be reckoned with. Ralph Sampson continued his great play with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. Colton countered with 6 points and 6 rebounds. The most impressive part of their game was the defense. Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis came into the game totaling 22.8 ppg and 11.4 rebs. They came out of the game with a total of 4 points and 7 rebounds. They went 2-11 from the field. That was the difference.

This was a huge win ending the 20 game losing streak to Illinois but it was more important as the Gophers next week head to Michigan State and Ohio State with the confidence that they can go in there and pull an upset or two. This game is the blueprint of how Minnesota has to win. They do not have the talent to win a pretty offensive game. They have to play great, aggressive defense and play strong down low. If they play with that tenacity and power from the Twin Towers we can beat anyone. The key will be taking this show on the road.

Stats of the Game

• 44-29: Rebounding edge for the Gophers with 15 on the offensive end.
• 8-10: RSIII from the free throw lane. So far he is 81% from the line this year. That is great from a big man.
  
• 11.5 and 7.5: RSIII's average in the last two games. Before the last two games he was averaging 6.3 ppg and 4.0 rebs.
  

Wisconsin Preview

#18 Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-1, 3-1) at Wisconsin Badgers (12-4, 3-1)

The Badgers are recognized to be a good team and a legitimate NCAA caliber team. The losses they have had are to elite teams like UCONN and Texas but they have yet to beat a guaranteed NCAA team. They still have done an excellent job of protecting the Kohl Center which is the hardest place to go on the road in the Big Ten. Here is Wisconsin's resume:

Wins to showcase:

• At Michigan 73-61
• At Virginia Tech 74-72
  

Losses to hide from:

• At Purdue 52-65
• At Marquette 58-61

Assets:

• Ball Control: 10.6 turnovers per game best in conference
• Defensive Rebounding: Rebound 73.8% of possible defensive rebounds, 2nd in conference
• Marcus Landry: 12.8 ppg, 4.1 rebs, 1.6 ass

Deficiencies:

• Defense: Opponents shoot 42.1% 3rd worst, force 10.7 turnovers per game worst in Big Ten
• Assists: 12 per game second worst in Big Ten
• Scoring Depth: Only five players (Landry, Hughes, Bohannon, Leuer, Krabbenhoft) average more than 5 points a game. The Gophers have 8 players.

As you can see the Badger losses are not to0 bad although they looked pretty bad in the Purdue game. Their defense is not at the level accustomed to Badger basketball. They are allowing 59.3 ppg compared to 54.4 last year and 57.9 two years ago. Opponents only shot 38.3 percent last year. This team is still a very good team but they are not as good as the Badger teams of the last two years with Alondo Tucker and Kammron Taylor.

Interesting things to watch:

• Minnesota players: As usual the Wisconsin team has a handful of Minnesota players. I don't see this as a huge problem as the players don't usually match the Gophers style of play. This current squad has 4 Minnesota players on it. Soph. Jon Leuer (Orono) is the biggest contributor with 9.8 ppg and 4.2 reb. Other players are Sr. Kevin Gullikson (5.8 mpg), Fr. Jordan Taylor (10.6 mpg) and Fr. Jared Berggren who has yet to play.
• The newcomers playing their first hostile environment. Road games at Colorado St. and Iowa are not exactly the same as what it will be like for the newcomers at the Kohl Center. With Wisconsin's size we are going to need Colton Iverson and RSIII to play strong down low. We also will need the continued growth of one Mr. Carter. This will be the real wake-up as to what a Big Ten road game really is.

Prediction

If this game was at Williams Arena or a neutral site this would be a different story. I think Wisconsin and Minnesota are fairly equal overall. The problem is that in Minnesota's two true road games (Louisville does not count) they struggled to beat a 5-11 Colorado State team that lost to a school named St. Martins and they shot 34% against a terrible Iowa team that had no offensive game outside shooting 3-pointers. To go and win in Kohl it takes a team of men or a superior athletic team. That is not the Gophers at this stage of the game. I hope I am wrong because I would enjoy nothing more than for the Gophers to win tomorrow, but I just don't see the toughness needed to beat Wisconsin at home.

Badgers 65, Gophers 57