Golden Nuggets for 03.03.09

by GopherNation on Mar 3, 2009 4:00 AM CST in Golden Nuggets

Some big news in the minor sports this week. Hats off to the Men's and Women's track team for both winning the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The men won their second title in school history. Minnesota finished the Championships with five Big Ten titlists with Aaron Studt winning the shot put, Hassan Mead the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, R.J. McGinnis the heptathlon and Matt Fisher the high jump.

For the women it was their third in a row. Minnesota entered the final race 5.5 points ahead of Michigan and 9.0 points in front of Penn State. Penn State won the race, but the Gophers iced the Big Ten team title with a fourth-place showing. Of course, Minnesota looked one last time to Heather Dorniden, who anchored the relay after the baton was carried first by Adrienne Thomas, Chioma Omeoga and Julie Schwengler.

"It was relaxing knowing we had Heather as our anchor," added Bingle. "But we had the advantage of having seven women warming up for the event. We had so many women ready to put it on the line. We have so much depth of runners that could run a fast 400 for us."

Women's basketball finished up their regular season and earned some Big Ten honors. World Champion cup stacker, Emily Fox earned second team All-Big Ten, Ashley Ellis-Milan was third team and Kiara Buford was named to the All-Freshman team. The team finished with the fifth seed and will take on fourth seeded Iowa on Friday.
Here is a decent attempt at humor by a UMD blogger. It is kind of funny. If you are unable to beat us on a regular basis might as well attack our fan-hood.
Minnesota Daily has some financial info on the U hosting on of the NCAA first round sights.
Gopher Illustrated is reporting that we have our second football commit for the 2010 class. Antoine Lewis is a 5'10" corner from Chicago with apparently good speed (listed with a 4.3 forty time, but that is likely unrealistic).
Many bracket projections still have the Gophers dancing. Yahoo's Bracket Big Board, Sports Illustrated's Andy Glockner, Sporting News' Ryan Fagan even has us at a nine seed and TThe Bracket Project has us as a nine as well. A win or two to finish the season sure would be nice so we aren't sweating on Selection Sunday.

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First & Second Round always draws better at the dome

Each of the 2 pods has at least 1 team that have a short drive or a Big Ten team.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Marquette and Michigan St. here.

by Ski U Mah Gopher on Mar 3, 2009 6:27 AM CST reply actions

I do think you guys are solidly in

Assuming the Big Ten gets only 6 bids I don’t see how Minnesota isn’t one of them.

A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance

by BoilerTMill on Mar 3, 2009 7:52 AM CST reply actions

good post TMill

but they can get booted out because they play both teams you have sitting behind them. Should they lose to Wis and Mich they may very well be out. Especially the Wisconsin game since they just beat Michigan as well.

what you say here can, and will, be used against you

by GopherNation on Mar 3, 2009 9:14 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed

I think the Wisocnsin game is more important because that would give you a sweep over them. I don’t thinkt he Badgers are nearly as solid right now, but getting a split with you helps them more. Michigan, with just one game this week, really needs to ebat you. I think if you beat them it also puts you solidly in and all but eliminates them barring a run in Indy.

Michigan would have plenty of chances in Indy too. the 8/9 game against Northwestern is ebtter than beating Iowa or Indiana in a 7/10 or 6/11 game. They would then likely get a shot at Michigan State on Friday, then a game against one of their fellow Bubble teams in the 4/5 winner if they get to the semifinals.

Another thing to consider is that if Minnesota stays right where it is at in the #6 position it essentially gets a free win over Indiana in the Big Ten Tourney opener. Is the value of that free win more than getting in the 4/5 game and losing?

A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance

by BoilerTMill on Mar 3, 2009 9:31 AM CST up reply actions

So far so good on recruiting...

Good to see that Brewster has his second commit. I sure hope that kid has a growth spurt though. I’m not too sure how a 5’10" corner would match up covering Arrelious Benn or Darryl Stonum. Now that I think of it, if this kid is matched up with either of those two when they are upperclassmen, the Gophers are in trouble.

And let me preface this with saying that we’re obviously not Texas. But Texas pulled their 19th verbal commit for the class of 2010. Their recruiting operation is unbelievable. The 25 best juniors are brought in for Junior Day. Mack Brown sits them down at the beginning of the weekend and says, in effect, that we’re offering you, and you have to accept our offer by the end of the weekend, otherwise we’re pulling it and offering the next best kids. This approach got them 10 verbal commits out of the top 25 juniors in Texas last month. Unbelievable.

In Texas, this approach works, as well it should – most kids dream of being Longhorns from birth.

I wonder how this would work with Seantrel Henderson? Would we hear the laughing from the Nagurski complex?

by JG2112 on Mar 3, 2009 1:02 PM CST reply actions