Golden Nugz 11.2.12: Little Brown Jug and Gopher hoops and hockey vs Mankato

Gopher basketball won their exhibition opener 81-56 over Minnesota State Mankato at the barn last night. Joe Coleman has upgraded his game, and it showed last night as he led the way with 21 points. Amelia says they got the result they wanted, but there's more work to be done.

Down with Goldy previews the Golden Gopher basketball squad.

Yesterday the PP had a Michael Carter story, today it's Phil Miller in the Strib talking about the resurrection/resurgence/rebirth of the senior corner and last week's co-conference defensive player of the week.

The Daily says Gopher football is looking for a little revenge again Michigan after last season's 58-0 evisceration by the Wolverines.

Brady Hoke told the Detroit Free Press again yesterday that Michigan QB Denard Robinson will start against Minnesota, and that they're not planning to alter the offense at all due to his injured arm. And lest you think the Little Brown Jug isn't a big deal to the Wolverines, Hoke said:

“I haven’t ever drank from it. It’s an important trophy, believe me, as far as keeping it in Ann Arbor. We take that awfully (seriously). We really want to keep it here. This is a Legends Division game, and that championship is still out there.”

For your listening pleasure, Matt and Frothy Gopher review the Purdue win and preview the Michigan game in the latest installment of the FBT podcast.

MGoblog says one thing to like about the new division format is it brings back the Little Brown Jug game every year.

I did a Q&A with Maize N Brew yesterday on their site to give a Gopher perspective of the UM vs UM matchup.

When Michael Russo writes you should read, and today he opines about MSU-Mankato head coach Mike Hastings. The new Mavericks head man is a former Gopher assistant who hails from Crookston (I have been to Crookston! Not sure why I felt the need to point that out), and jumped at the chance to be a D1 head coach.

Shane Frederick of the Mankato Free Press previews the Gopher-Mavs series on his Puckato blog.

Western College Hockey blog previews the WCHA weekend. As he reports, the Gophers will get defenseman Brady Skjei back in the lineup, but will be without second line winger Sam Warning for the second straight weekend. Defenseman Ben Marshall will once again take his spot on the second line beside Erik Haula and Zach Budish.

The 2014 NCAA Hockey West Regionals will be held at the X in St Paul.

The Coaches Poll selected Minnesota Wrestling #1 in the country. Where they belong, obviously.