0-3 Gophers Still Looking For Their First Big Ten Win - OPEN THREAD
by GopherNation on Jan 7, 2012 10:58 AM CST
in Gopher Basketball
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PrintPurdue Boilermakers at Minnesota Golden Gophers, Jan 8, 2012 5:00 PM CST
Game Time: 5:00
TV: BTN
| Pos | Minnesota | Pnt/Gm | Pnt/Gm | Purdue (12-4) |
Pos | |
| PG | Maverick Ahanmisi |
4.9 | 9.6 | Lewis Jackson |
G | |
| G | Julian Welch | 10.6 | 10.3 | Ryne Smith | G | |
| F | Austin Hollins | 8.2 | 8.8 | Kelsey Barlow |
F | |
| F | Rodney Williams | 9.8 | 16.4 | Robbie Hummel |
F | |
| C | Ralph Sampson III | 9.3 | 3.7 | Jacob Lawson |
F | |
| Bench | Andre Hollins | 5.8 | 5.1 | D.J. Byrd | Bench | |
| Bench |
Chip Armelin | 5.8 | 6.6 |
Anthony Johnson |
Bench | |
| Bench |
Eliott Eliason |
2.6 | 6.8 | Terone Johnson |
Bench |
Robbie Hummel in his 13th year of college eligibility will be the best player on the floor. He is fun to watch as he is just a smart and sound basketball player. I fear it is a bad matchup if he is guarding Rodney for much of the game. Based on personnell we will really need our backcourt to step up their game on both ends of the floor to stay in this one.
| KenPom Efficiency Stats | Minnesota (54) |
Purdue (30) |
| Record | 12-4 | 12-4 |
| Pnt / Poss | 1.080 | 1.092 (41) |
| Def Pnt / Poss | 0.947 | 0.915 (36) |
| Off eFG% | 52.3% (30) |
51.7% |
| Def eFG% | 47.4% | 45.9% |
| Off Reb % | 37.2% (22) | 33.0% |
| Def Reb % | 67.1% | 68.1% |
| TO % | 21.9% | 15.1% (3) |
Statistically Purdue is very good on both ends of the floor. Their numbers (and record) would indicate that they are not quite as dominant as they have been in recent years but they are still a very good team. Minnesota's numbers are slowly getting worse. Turnover % is increasing, rebounding % is going down and our offensive efficiency is becoming less so.
With all of that said it is starting to feel like this is one of those times when expectations have been lowered enough that the Gophers will come out and win this game. Logically there is no reason to think we will win based on stats and based on what I've seen on the floor in the last couple weeks. But I think the Gophers may surprise us today.
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I really should have ignored it until tip off
Now I’m just going to be all pessimistic.
by amiller92 on Jan 7, 2012 11:44 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions
okay, some beer at Sally's has helped
I’m almost ready to pretend to be optimistic for the first five minutes or so.
Let’s go Rodney!
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 4:37 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
It kills me to see Mav
in the starting lineup. Every team needs a Mav. He can play a major role on this team, but starting PG is NOT ONE OF THEM. Come on Tubby, it doesn’t take John Wooden to see that Dre Hollins has ten times the upside of Mav. Get the kid in the game and at least it will make this season somewhat valuable. And if Oto is healthy, get him ten shots today—-I don’t care how he takes them. He is the only guy that looks like maybe a 3 pt shooter for us down the road.
Upside, yes
And tubby knows that. Which is why Dre started at the beginning of the year. But Drebhas looked lost and turned t over to much in the last few games.
Unfortunately
I have not seen a lot of games this year. Has Tubby tried playing EE and RS3 at the same time?? Put EE in the 5 spot and let RS3 live his fantasy of being a forward.
Not that I recall
And I really don’t like the prospects for our defense, especially on the high screens, if we do that.
But Mo dressed and participated in warm ups on Weds.
and yes, I do know that the game is tomorrow.
what you say here can, and will, be used against you The Daily Gopher
Coleman. starting.
Interesting.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 5:03 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
dre riding stationary bike
At about 2 min is interesting too
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 5:11 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
what does the replay
Show happened to Rodney? Balls?
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 5:14 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
Well
Until they get big dummy out of the game they dont have a chance RSIII just blows…stutter steps around, sets pansy ass screens, has no position on rebounds cant get space on the block, weak passing, turning it over.
Are we better off
Going to a smaller front court with guys that are more scrappy? I just dont see how coach can watch RSIII play game after game and think thats our best chance to win. He hurts us way more than helps.
coach is probably
Less blinded by hate. Ralph has issues but isn’t as bad as you say.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 5:34 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
Not sure if I'm twisted...
…but I actually enjoy listening to commentators tear RSIII apart too. They are as disappointed in him as we are.
I think it is human nature to see a guy with so much strategic advantage who fails to perform as a disgusting site. That’s my issue with him. He needs to quit playing basketball. Disappear into the world of accounting or marketing….but just stop playing a game you so visibly despise. OR…fucking commit to being the best you can be at the game!
I think RSIII is the Hoffarber of this season for Coach. He’s the guy Tubby is starting to jab in the press. I remember him really poking at Blake last season (I felt it was totally unprofessional last year when he did it) to the press. He’s starting to come out and cut down RSIII now too.
I can’t say I agree with Tubby’s motivational tactics…though I do enjoy reading that he’s as disappointed in Ralph as we are.
Mav
Can’t stop Jackson off the dribble.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 5:39 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
officiating is generally fine
But the red with the frosted tips is watching a different game. And it’s a travel when you throw the ball in the air and catch it after a few steps, as on the last play of the half.
Which of course has nothing to do with how we are losing.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 5:49 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
hitting everything
Byrd is 5-5 and hasn’t shot from within 4 feet of the three point line.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 6:01 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
is Austin hurt?
We keep getting beat off the dribble and put best perimeter man defender isn’t playing much.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 6:23 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
lot of small lineups
And little Ralph in 2nd.
Coleman playing great.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 6:55 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
about as expected
Exceptore purdue layups and fewer threes. And a lot more Coleman.
by amiller92 on Jan 8, 2012 7:06 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
Depressed
Not sure who we can beat this year.
I am blinded, but not by science...
by BlindedByIdiocy on Jan 8, 2012 7:28 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Yep
The University of Nebraska No Ones
"Believe in the system. For it shall bring light when there is dark, food when there is hunger, and shots when there are passes. This is the divine process." Yeo 4:18
We "can" beat anybody...
…this league is really “any given night” poor as far as quality. Wisconsin’s lost what, 3 straight or something? Penn State can suck and beat a decent team in the same week. Iowa….they were horseshit, but then won at Wisconsin and Minnesota….
That being said, we are in really bad shape. I personally didn’t think we were in very good shape (after being slapped in the face here with my insane optimism) after seeing a few early games. Even with Mbakwe…we’d struggle this year. Without him and we continue to struggle.
I’m finding this season to be one of “Tubby Analysis”. For me. I can’t get myself to want him fired. Yet, I struggle with his philosophy. I really think he’s recruiting the wrong guys for his system. I’d say at Tulsa, where he couldn’t get the elite players, he got system guys willing to work their ass off…and he had success. I think that model didn’t work as well at Kentucky. And it continues to not work great at Minnesota. It feels disjointed.
I also struggle with people who say “Tubby would be fine, but look we lost Mbakwe!”. I then say, what kind of fucking team is so thin they lose a single player and suddenly they don’t know if they can win a single game (against a team not from Nebraska) in their conference? That is fucked! That is a serious problem.
As for the team, Coleman looks nice. Couple guys here and there show some talent, but I’m usually so disgusted by a few guys that it taints my view of the entire program. I need a fresh start next season. I just keep thinking about how much more I enjoy the football team, even through all their struggles, than I do a basketball team that has really disappointed me the past few years (with so much potential!). So my optimism and overall “Gopher Excitement” often turns quickly to football when I watch or read about Gopher basketball. I’ve grown tired of the basketball drama I guess. Always a story. Every season “will Tubby leave us?”, the practice facility, the players leaving, getting arrested, etc. It has just….tired me and stripped me of excitement. I’ve lost interest temporarily. I tend to think a large part of the fan base is not unlike me in this regard.
Right?
I remember before the season started I had all these visions…still high off the appearance of football progress.
I pictured a scenario where Mbakwe was demanding accountability and passing along to the team all he had learned at the USA/International team level. RSIII had gone to big man NBA camps in Chicago and was going to be a beast. Rodney would be a better shooter. Pieces were falling into place. Our youngsters were instant contributors, and we began to exorcise the demons….then a few people on here slapped the shit out of me and I was then convinced momentarily we were a bubble team.
Then I saw us play a game. Sure we won…but damn….we kept struggling. And struggling. “Maybe Tubby’s just messing with lineups, this happens to everybody this time of year”. I was suspicious. Even with Mbakwe we appeared overly vulnerable, still to the long ball with our slow to shift or fight through screens defense. I instantly pulled a 180 and wondered how we’d win any Big 10 games, and said a bubble would be a wet dream for this team. Then Mbakwe got hurt and…well….I’m still wondering how we’ll win any Big 10 games other than telling myself “it just happens, even the worst teams win a few Big 10 games every season”. The NIT seems like it is out of reach unless something clicks.
Expectations blow. Moreso when you are a Minnesota fan….but we put ourselves in a position to win against Michigan and Illinois on their turf. There are enough questionable teams….we may win a handful…I just wouldn’t bet on which games we win.
The optimist in me
Who has the voice of my long-suffering Gopher-fan dad, tells me to look at this year as an opportunity to develop the young guys for the future.
Coleman showed a lot more ability than I expected to see from him last night. Dre looked better and more like the guy I expected him to be too. Heck even Ingram showed some hustle and athleticism.
We’re going to end up giving freshmen a lot of playing time this year, which hopefully bodes well for 2-3 years from now when those guys will be veterans. Given that we’re never going to be terribly appealing for the top-level recruits, that’s our ticket to having good teams.
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