Your Golden Gophers are NCAA tournament bound for the first time since the 2004-05 season and only the second time since Clem Haskings era. Here is your facts only quick glance at our opponent, the Texas Longhorns. For a seasons' worth of info on the Longhorn's basketball season head over to Burnt Orange Nation (easily one of the best college blogs out there).
Info
| Minnesota | Texas | |
| Seed | 10 | 7 |
| Record | 22-10 | 22-11 |
| Conf Rec | 9-9 (8th) | 9-7 (6th) |
| SOS | 37 | 44 |
| RPI | 42 | 41 |
| KenPom | 45 | 28 |
Starters and key players
| PPG | YR | Size | Minnesota | Texas | Size | Yr | PPG | |
| 6.6 | SO | 6-1 | Al Nolen | G | A.J. Abrams | 5-11 | SR | 16.3 |
| 12.4 | JR | 6-0 | Lawrence Westbrook | G | Dogus Balby | 6-0 | SO | 3.3 |
| 3.7 | SR | 6-5 | Jamal Abu-Shamala | F | Justin Mason | 6-2 | JR | 6.4 |
| 9.7 | JR | 6-7 | Damian Johnson | F | Damion James | 6-7 | JR | 15.4 |
| 6.4 | FR | 6-10 | Ralph Sampson III | C | Dexter Pittman | 6-10 | JR | 10.0 |
| 6.5 | SO | 6-4 | Blake Hoffarber (G) | Gary Johnson (F) | 6-6 | SO | 10.5 | |
| 5.3 | SO | 6-8 | Paul Carter (F) | Varez Ward (G) | 6-2 | FR | 3.7 | |
| 4.1 | JR | 6-5 | Devron Bostick (F/G) | Connor Atchley (F/C) | 6-10 | SR | 4.8 | |
| 5.1 | FR | 6-3 | Devoe Joseph (G) | Clint Chapman (F/C) | 6-10 | SO | 2.1 | |
| 5.5 | FR | 6-10 | Colten Iverson (C ) |
For both teams the starting lineups could look differently on Thursday. Hopefully someone other than JAS starts for Minnesota and Gary Johnson has been a starter for much of the season.
Both teams seem to have good size and it is a good match up for the Gophers considering the Longhorn's best scorers will be matched up with our best defenders. I'll get into the players and match ups more as we get closer to the game but this is just to help you familiarize yourself with the roster.
Poll
How will the Gophers fare on Thursday?
Loses to Texas in a close one (39 votes)
Loses to Texas and it isn't close (15 votes)
Beats Texas on last possession, Hoffarber goes for another ESPY (35 votes)
Texas is overrated and the Gophers roll to the second round (45 votes)
134 total votes
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