Minnesota Basketball: #14 Gophers in NYC for Barclays Classic vs #25 Alabama Crimson Tide - OPEN THREAD

Where

Barclays Center NYC

When

4:00

How

online only

Back to back games for the Gophers and this time they face a ranked Alabama squad.

KEYS TO A GOPHER WIN

• Solid Effort from the Bench - Back to back games here and it will be a great time for some of the bench to step up a little and give some lift to the Gophers.
• Better Defend Shooters - Bama ranks top 5 in the country in eFG%. We have struggled defending the three and today is the first game of the year where that might really make a win more challenging.
• Get to the Free Throw Line - This was a pretty big key for this team a year ago. To date, they haven’t exactly been challenged in a close game so aggressive possession by possession basketball hasn’t occurred much. This game, getting to the line may be a huge key.

PREDICTION

I’m high on this team right now. I think the back-to-back nature may not be a good thing for us, as we are thin. But I just don’t see us losing right now.

Minnesota - 72
Alabama - 67