SB Nation - Blake Hoffarber

Gopher Hoops 2009-10 - Expectations

GopherNation — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:36 -0000

by Andy King - AP

Minnesota forward Rodney Williams, wearing a cape, dunks after winning the dunk contest at the Tubby Tip-off. Fri, Oct. 16, (AP Photo/Andy King)

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I cannot remember a Gopher hoops season that has had Gopher Nation this excited or been filled with this kind of expectations.The team returns all significant contributors to last year's squad that notched a win over an eventual #1 seed, racked up 22 wins and earned an NCAA tournament invitation. That in and of itself is reason for optimism and excitement but the team also adds three or four players who potentially will fill the biggest weaknesses from a year ago. Add to that a proven winner and highly respected head coach, and this season could be one of the best we have witnessed in many years. (and the best part is, next year could be even better, but we'll wait 12 months before we start talking about the 2010-11 season).

Let's first start with the known quantities. What we bring back from a year ago is more than enough to look forward to a winning season that is very likely to end in second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Defensively we have two of the best defenders in the conference with Damian Johnson and Al Nolen. We have two talented and developing big men who did a fantastic job of learning how to play Big Ten basketball on the fly. We have a few guards who lacked scoring consistency but they all were capable of putting up points in bunches. And let's not forget a couple of JUCO transfers who have had a year under their belt and are poised to contribute more on both ends of the floor. As stated, with modest improvement, this roster is good enough to finish top 6 of the Big Ten, get an NCAA bid and likely be favored in that first round match up. For a program that has not had sustained success since the Haskins era this would be more than enough for a very fun season in the Barn.

But there are things the returning roster was missing. A consistent and go-to scorer, some athleticism with the ability to get the ball to the rim from the perimeter, depth at PG and some toughness/nastiness inside. A top 15 recruiting class that has the pieces to fill those holes perfectly is what we have coming in to compliment the current roster.

Royce White is a consensus top 40 player in the country. He has the tools to step into this Big Ten roster and immediately fill the role of a dominating scorer. This is likely a role he will have to grow into and he doesn't have to carry the load every night, the hope is that defenses will have to account for him every possession and that will open things up for the other four guys on the floor. Rodney Williams is an athletic freak who should be Big Ten ready defensively but the hope here is that he'll be the one able to break down a defense and finish at the rim or kick it out to one of our shooters. Not having this threat allowed defenses to stick tight to the likes of Blake Hoffarber or Devoe Joseph making it hard for them to find their stroke from behind the arc. Justin Cobbs is the incoming recruit talked about the least but this true point guard should provide depth to the position allowing Al Nolen to play strong throughout the season. Finally we add Trevor Mbakwe. TM is the one I think will add the most to this roster. This guy finally gives the Gophers some toughness, a physical presence inside and some rebounding tenacity. The 2008-09 Gophers were a great offensive rebounding team but defensive rebounding was significant issue at times, I believe TM will change that dramatically.

The question though is will the formula of Returners + Newcomers = great success? Let's hope so, but here is what would be disappointing, surpassing all expectations and a realistic look at what should define success.

A disappointing season is hard to define. Obviously not making the NCAA tournament would be disappointing. Finishing outside of the top 6 in the Big Ten would be disappointing. But I think the minimum bar is winning a first round NCAA tournament game. By my definition making the tournament but losing in the first round again would be disappointing. For this level of defining success I don't care about Big Ten rank. As far as I'm concerned we could finish 7th, make the tournament, win a first round game and I can at the very least get some satisfaction out of this season. Obviously many factors go into this. If Damian Johnson gets hurt, Trevor Mbakwe is not eligible

A wildly successful season, with a pinch of realism, would be a Big Ten championship or maybe even a run to the Elite Eight. There is almost zero chance that this team is good enough to win an NCAA Championship. I could be wrong (I'd be happy to be wrong), but on paper we don't have a lot of holes but we also don't have bevy of superior talent. Now, I DO think this team is good enough to be in the thick of things for the Big Ten title. It isn't likely but if MSU and Purdue struggle or drop a game or two they shouldn't, this team might find it in a title hunt coming down the stretch. Assuming that doesn't happen, I also wouldn't be shocked to see a quick run through the Big Ten tourney resulting in a championship. And finally there is enough talent that with the right match ups and maybe the right upsets an Elite Eight or Final Four run would be a story but isn't completely unfathomable. One of those three scenarios is possible though clearly would be reaching beyond what most feel this team is capable of. I'm not holding my breath but much stranger things have happened in a college basketball season.

So after establishing the lower and upper parameters for success here is what I think is a realistic, if not slightly optimistic, picture of how the season will play out. The 2009-10 Gophers will be a top 5 Big Ten team and ranked in the top 20 for the vast majority of the season. I believe that a third place finish, #4 seed in the tourney and a run to the Sweet 16 is a realistic expectation.

Many of our weaknesses have been strengthened, but this is not a complete team and question marks do remain. So to believe this team is on par with some of the top 10 caliber teams is a bit of a stretch. Are we capable of beating Purdue or Michigan State during any given game? Absolutely, but with questions around consistent scoring and how this group comes together we are just as capable of losing to Michigan, Illinois, Penn State or Ohio State on a given night. When the season plays itself out with the usual ups and downs we usually see I expect we will go 11-1 in the non-conference portion of the schedule and right around 12-6 in the Big Ten which should be good enough for 3rd place.

That will take us into the Tourney where we should be seeded high enough that winning two games will be expected. Crazy things happen in the NCAA tournament so winning two games is not an absolute requirement for a successful season, but given the talent, depth and coaching on this team there is no reason to believe we are not capable of achieving this level of "success."

Poll

Where does this year's Gopher Hoops squad end up?

Final Four

18 votes

Elite Eight

34 votes

Sweet 16

158 votes

Win round 1, lose round 2

67 votes

Another token apperance

18 votes

295 votes | Poll has closed

Gopher basketball - a Big Ten team on the rise?

GopherNation — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:36:37 -0000

The Gophers are entering year three of the Tubby Smith era. After steady improvement in the win column year by year and significant upgrading of the overall talent on the roster, year three has the makings for a special team.

Year one was a season of smoke and mirrors as Tubby used every coaching trick he had to squeeze 20 wins out of a team lacking any real talent. Year two we saw an infusion of young talent to go along with those role players who were becoming veterans. The youth and the experience complimented each other very well en route to a 22 win season and an NCAA Tournament first round match-up with Texas.

Year three sees the team returning it's top nine scorers to go along with a top 15 recruiting class. This team will be exciting and has all of the necessary pieces to be a team that makes a run at the Big Ten title and deep into the NCAA Tournament.

You won't see anybody on this roster listed on a pre-season All-American team and you likely won't see any Gopher on the first team All-Big Ten preseason team. But this roster is full of the necessary ingredients needed for a deep NCAA tournament run. Coahing? Check! Deep and experienced guard play? Check! Big men who can defend and rebound? Check! Youthful, athletic and dynamic players? Check! Defense? Check! Let's take a look at this Gopher club in greater detail.

You can't take a look at the Gophers without first taking a look at the man leading his troops into battle. Tubby Smith brings immediate credibility to any conversation regarding the Golden Gophers. Clearly he was unable to meet the bar of unrealistic expectations in Kentucky but he routinely took his teams to the Sweet 16 and beyond. He has demonstrated ability to navigate teams through the conference season, through conference tournaments and through NCAA Tournaments.

Next, lets talk about the guard play. As mentioned, the Gophers are returning their top nine scorers and three of the top four are guards. Also mentioned, you will not see any of these guys on and All-anything list. They do some things very well, compliment each other well and all play very good defense. The 2008-09 season was successful but this years squad will certainly be deeper and more athletic on both ends of the floor. The team's leading, returning scorer is Lawrence Westbrook who is a streaky scorer who is capable of carrying the team at times. Al Nolen a great on the ball defender and floor leader. Devoe Joseph may take a starting spot away from one of those guys and is poised to have a breakout sophomore season. This backcourt is talented and the the additions of Rodney Williams and Justin Cobb will add some much needed athleticism to the backcourt.

The backcourt is strong but the big men may end up being the real strength of this Gopher club. The team's best player is clearly SF-Damian Johnson. DJ Swat was the Big Ten's best defensive player a year ago and is very underrated on the offensive side of the ball. He does everything very well and if anybody is poised to garner any conference post-season awards, it will be he. Also in the frontcourt sophomores Ralph Sampson III and Colten Iverson had very good freshmen seasons as they managed to be productive on both ends of the floor through an entire Big Ten season. Both will need to take steps forward to make the Gopher interior more feared on the offensive end, but defensively both had very strong years as freshmen. Paul Carter was a JUCO transfer last year and really eased into the Gopher rotation but by the end of the season he was able to step in for Damian Johnson and give quality minutes. But the biggest addition to the Gophers may be transfer, Trevor Mbakwe (if he is cleared to play). Mbakwe is an absolute beast on the boards and wil give us a physical presence on both ends of the floor.

What the Gophers were missing last year was dynamic and athletic scorers. Tubby Smith and his staff brought in a consensus top 15 recruiting class that should perfectly compliment the experienced returning roster. Royce White is coming in to play one of the forward positions and should immediately give the Gopher offense a boost. Rodney White is freakishly athletic who will add a dimension of athleticism not seen in a Gopher uniform in several years. Justin Cobbs is a true PG who will add depth to the backcourt.

What we will see offensively is a bit unknown. It is hard to predict how the top nine returning scorers will fit with the more dynamic incoming players who clearly will have to be a factor in Tubby Smith's offense. But clearly defense will be what drives this team and what will carry them. Al Nolen and Damian Johnson are both worthy of being All-Big Ten defensively. And the frontcourt, with the addition of Mbakwe, should be one of the best rebounding groups in the conference.

Ultimately defense will be what defines the Gopher season. But the returning players plus some very key and well placed additions could make this a very special season at the Barn.

Golden Nugz for 06-16-09

GopherNation — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:00:21 -0000

Summer is here and it is just a matter of time before the Howard Pulley Pro-City League starts up again. For those of you who do not know this is great summer league for mostly local professionals (NBA, NBDL, Europe, etc) and D1/D2 players. Guys like Kahlid El-Amin, Kamron Taylor and Troy Hudson played last year against Al Nolen Blake Hoffarber, Damien Johnson and the host of newcomers on last year's roster.

I went to a night of games last year to get a look at Sampson, Iverson, Bostick and Joseph. The games have little defense as you can imagine but it is a great way to get a glimpse of what we will see on the new Barn floor next year. Marcus Fuller has posted what Gophers will be playing with each other.

Team El-Amin Fishhouse (defending league champs)

Paul Carter and Devron Bostick (and Travis Busch)

Troy Hudson's Enterprises

Royce White (no Gopher teammates playing on White's team)

The TRP Group

Ralph Sampson, Justin Cobbs, Damien Johnson

Errol Carlstrom Playaz

Trevor Mbwake and Devoe Joseph

A&A Millwork

Al Nolen and Colton Iverson

B2X

Blake Hoffarber, Lawrence Westbrook, Rodney Williams and walkon Dominique Dawson

It is important to note that the rosters are kind of fluid but to start with if you take a look at this summer's schedule and look for the above teams. I urge you to go, the games are free and it is athletic basketball. Like I mentioned above it is not full of defense but I learned early on that Bostick could not shoot from the outside and that Iverson was going to be a tough player on the inside.

Former Gopher defenseman, Crystal native and current San Jose Sharks assistant coach, Todd Richards has reportedly been offered the Wild head coaching position. I don't know if this is a good hire or bad hire (I know little about hockey) but check out Hockey Wilderness for quality commentary.
Another Marcus Fuller story, this one on Bryant Allen. He will be your next two-sport athlete to wear maroon and gold. Allen is receiving a scholarship to play football, but he is also very good at basketball and will compete for playing time at point guard in Tubby's system.
One of my favorite collge hoops blogs is Beyond the Arc and they have their 2009-2010 Top 25 v2. This one has the Gophers at 19th.
Finally, I don't know howII missed this but Varsity Blue pointed me back to Charley Walters who says Gopher's offensive line coach Phil Meyers may be sending his son to Cretin Durham Hall. Why does this matter? Have I ever posted about the school choices of any Gopher coaches? No, but the younger Meyers will be attending school with Seantrel Henderson (um the number one recruit in the nation). I don't know what kind of NCAA rules prohibit the younger Meyers from talking with Seantrell but I don't think USC or Michigan are going to be enrolling their kids at CDH.

Probing The Enemy: The Daily Gopher

Peter Bean — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:42:53 -0000

Prior to 2007, the extent of my Minnesota knowledge was limited to whatever I'd picked up from Garrison Keillor over the years. But in '07 Minnesota AD Joel Maturi first hired former Longhorn assistant coach Tim Brewster to be the main man for football, then shrewdly snagged Tubby Smith for the hoops revival which has the Gophers sitting across from Texas in the first round of this year's tournament. With Minnesota Golden Gophers chatter in Austin officially en vogue, this presents a convenient excuse to haul in the authors of SB Nation's outstanding MN blog, The Daily Gopher.

Not only should you be sure to visit TDG for excellent material of particular interest to Texas fans, but general college hoops fans of any kind should make sure TDG is part of their tournament plans. Tom's got a double-screen DirecTV super set-up primed for the action, which he'll be discussing live throughout the weekend.

Also keep an eye out for my own (bloated) answers to questions asked by TDG.

Best used to discourage littering.

Gentlemen, thanks for taking the time to chat. As always, we start with the most obvious question: What do Minnesotans think of the famous "Don't Mess With Texas" campaign? They ran those ads nationwide, you know. So, fill us in: Did y'all find it intimidating? Did it inspire you not to litter? And most importantly, did it project enough swagger to scare the current Minnesota basketball players? Will they, in fact, decide it's best just not to mess with Texas?

The Daily Gopher: Don't mess with Texas? I watch Friday Night Lights and I thought the Texas slogan was "Clear eyes, full heart, can't lose." Regardless, I think the only thing that matters is that everything apparently really IS bigger in Texas (see Dexter Pittman), that is the biggest thing that should be scaring the Golden Gophers.

Honestly though, I think that biggest intimidating factor for the Gophers is the NCAA Tournament itself. Nobody on this roster has played in the Big Dance and to make matters worse the bulk of our roster is comprised of freshmen and sophomores. So Texas is a big name team, but the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament is likely more intimidating than the thought of what will happen if we mess with Texas.

Whatever their fears, it's safe to assume Tubby's gonna make 'em get on the plane for Greensboro to go compete hard for 40 minutes on Thursday. Minnesota is dancing this year as a 10-seed after a solid 22-10 season, highlighted by a 12-0 start which included a neutral floor win over Louisville. Less promising, my bar napkin math says that means the Gophers were a .500 team over the remaining 20 games. So let's start there: put the "season story" together for us as succinctly as possible.

The Daily Gopher: Well the season took some time to ramp up to the Louisville game in December. While Texas was playing Notre Dame, Villanova, UCLA, Michigan State and Wisconsin the Gophers were getting warmed up with Washington (Eastern not the Pac10 version), Georgia (State), Colorado (State), and a handful of other directional schools. Along the way we did beat a couple eventual tourney teams in North Dakota State and Cornell, but they are not exactly high major competition. So when we headed to Arizona to play then #9 Louisville on a neutral court most of us would have been happy to be competitive and see this program heading in the right direction. Shockingly we won leading early, getting up by as many as 13 in the second half and never looked back. That win put us on the map and clearly was the signature win of the year.

Then the Big Ten season hit, we struggled to generate any offense and we battled to a 9-9 record. The conference season had it's highs and lows. We swept arch rival, Wisconsin and we beat Illinois for the first time since 1993. This is a building block season and I think this team surpassed most expectations.

Let's focus in a little bit now and talk personnel. I want to start with the guards, who seem to me perfectly crafted Tubby Smith warrior ants. Westbrook, Joseph, Bostick, Nolen -- they're all great defenders with excellent speed and quickness, and inconsistent-to-poor jump shooters. (Do you feel like you're haunted by the Ghost of Keith Bogans?) Tell us a bit about what these guards do well when Minnesota wins, and their struggles which contribute to losses.

The Daily Gopher: You are kind of accurate in that they do excel on the defensive end but they aren't all great defenders. Al Nolen is one of the best on the ball defenders you will see all year. As a former coach I get a sick thrill out of watching his footwork, quick hands and how he guards the passing lanes. He will get lost on screens occasionally but on the ball he is as good as they come. Westbrook is quick and an OK defender but he seems disinterested at time. Joseph is a freshman, has terrible footwork but has really improved on his defense away from the ball.

Offensively they have struggled for most of the seaosn with each of them breaking out at random times. Westbrook scored 29 at Wisconsin, Nolen scored 18 in the win over Louisville and Joseph threw in 23 at Penn State. The problem is they lack consistency and when they are playing poorly they turn the ball over too much (especially Westbrook). When they are playing well Nolen is penetrating, Westbrook is just plain scoring (he averaged 40 ppg in high school) and Joseph (and Hoffarber) are nailing from the outside. What kind of production we get from these guys is a total crapshoot.

And now the forwards. True to form, Tubby this year has consistently worked into games a deep rotation of contributors, which in the frontcourt includes junior Damian Johnson, sophomore Paul Carter, senior Jamal Abu-Shamala, and freshmen Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson. Hold your thoughts on match ups against Texas and just walk us through what this group does and doesn't do well.

The Daily Gopher: Damian Johnson is our do everything player. He is great defensively, second in scoring, third in assists, second in rebounding and second in steals. He is easily one of the most underrated players in the Big Ten and had the Gophers posted a better record likely would have been B10 defensive player of the year. The freshmen centers are solid but clearly still learning. On any given night either of them will go for 11 points and 7 boards. They are not there yet but eventually Big Ten coaches will be gameplanning for our twin towers. Paul Carter is a sophomore JUCO transfer. He is very athletic and has had some huge games but more often than not he is a non-factor. If he plays well on Thursday I really like our chances. And finally Jamal Abu-Shamala. He is slow, average defensively, can usually shoot well and is a senior. If he plays 10 minutes I really do NOT like our chances.

Let's stick with this group for a minute, because in looking over the Gophers' stat pages one of the first things which leaped out at me is the truly ridiculous shot blocking numbers of Damian Johnson (59 blocks) as well as the freshmen twin towers Sampson (49 blocks) and Iverson (41). To have three players ranked among the top 32 nationally in block percentage is a truly mind-boggling accomplishment. Or statistical anomaly. Or something. What the hell's going on here? Both freshmen are both tall but neither reaches 7 feet and Johnson plays at 6-7. Are they uncannily coordinated in terms of timing blocks? Is there something in the system (or guard play) that particularly sets them up to rack up rejections? Tell us what this is all about, and then build on that to share with us how you think those frontcourt players will fare against the 6-11, 295-pound Dexter Pittman. As Stanford's Lopez twins found out during last year's Regional Semifinals, tall is not the same as strong; are Minnesota's big men ready for the Sexiest center in all of college basketball?

The Daily Gopher: They do block a ton of shots and it really helps our defense. Part of their success is that offenses are funneled to them. We put a lot of pressure on the frontcourt which leads to back cuts and penetration to the hoop. But more than anything these guys are just good shot blockers. Johnson is only 6'7" ish but he has a freakishly long wingspan. Sampson and Iverson are not huge but they have great timing and get their hands on a lot of shots. Amazingly these guys have remained disciplined and usually don't get into foul trouble reaching for blocks.

How will this translate into defending Pittman? I have no idea. I imagine he will have his way in the paint, pin us deep and score without the fear of a blocked shot. Defensively Sampson/Iverson are going to have to do a little acting to draw a charge or cheap foul or two as Pittman is wont to foul trouble. Iverson is tough and Sampson is savvy but nobody would accuse those guys of playing "strong." Pittman is a bad match up for us without a doubt, but if he can get into foul trouble we should be able to control the paint.

We've talked about the season and you've helpfully illuminated the personnel situation for us, so let's wrap this discussion with your insights into the particular things Minnesota needs to do well to win on Thursday. And of course, any thoughts you have on red flags you'll be hoping not to see from the Gophers. Finally, if you dare, feel free to throw in any predictions about how this one's looking from your seat in the stands. We promise not to hold it against you.

The Daily Gopher: I have no doubt in my mind that the Gophers are capable of winning this game. But being capable is one thing, actually doing it is another. We are exactly what the pundits have accused the Big Ten teams of being. We are very good defensively and sometimes struggle to generate any offense. With that said I don't think Texas will truly know how well we play defense until they get on the court and find out. I anticiapte we will press, I anticipate Nolen will defend Abrams and I think Johnson will guard Jones. On the defensive end I actually like those match ups. If UT really shows up in the frontcourt and the backcourt then things could get ugly. If Pittman dominates the paint, Abrams gets several open looks that he nails and Jones gets space to operate as he pleases we will lose. But you can count on the Gophers taking away at least one of those, Texas is not a scoring juggernaut so we can keep their points at manageable level.

The real question is can we score? We at The Daily Gopher firmly believe that the Big Ten teams (Minnesota included) are looking forward to not facing a Big Ten defense. The hope is that FG% will go up a little and if Pittman spends some time on the bench we will make every effort to dominate the paint. I think the Gophers press early, force turnovers, get Pittman in foul trouble and win by 7.

Morning Coffee Is Ready To Play Whack-A-Gopher

GhostofBigRoy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:00:10 -0000

Horns get good draw. Or, according to Chip Brown ($), a "dream draw." Minnesota doesn't have an efficient offense and is the best match up for the Longhorns of all the 10 seeds -- avoiding USC, Michigan, and Maryland, all teams that could cause problems for the 'Horns. Trips Right likes Texas against Minnesota because the interior players for the Gophers won't involve Pittman in pick-and-roll situations that can pressure his lateral movement or get him in foul trouble.

The Duke match up is also as favorable for the Longhorns as it could be, according to Trips, who breaks it down to which coach has to make the adjustment about Dexter Pittman. If Coach K has to go with Zoubek to stop PIttman, the Longhorns have a great chance at winning. However, if Lance Thomas and the Duke help defense can neutralize Pittman, Duke will have a big advantage at the offensive end, particularly if they can get hot from deep. Good stuff from the Barking writer -- I can't think of anything to add about the Duke game.

Keys to success in the tournament. The Longhorns have struggled all season to maintain any level of consistency in play. It's truly been a roller-coaster ride. However, there are some things the Longhorns can do consistently to help themselves win.

Get Dexy the ball. The Texas offense was clicking when running the high/low offense Rick Barnes installed late in the season. It's effective when the 'Horns run it, but only is the only perimeter player capable of making the entry pass, meaning he must catch the ball at a very specific spot on the floor -- the 45-degree angle on the wing -- and have enough separation to enter the ball. If Abrams doesn't have the pass, the other big has to flash to the top of the key quickly to make the entry pass over the top. Teams are more ready for this than they were, pressuring the big making the entry pass and doubling down from the weakside to help, where the other guard isn't a threat to shoot.
Get James catches near the basket. Against Kansas State, James spent much of the game in foul trouble, picking up three offensive fouls by the end of the contest. He's a turnover machine when he catches the ball behind the arc and attempts to dribble-drive, with three give-aways against Baylor and four against Kansas State. However, if he can catch the ball in the mid range, his game is infinitely better and his turnover rate decreases drastically.
Can Dogus handle the pressure? Minnesota may well press, putting the pressure on Dogus Balbay to make good decisions with the basketball. Against Kansas State, Balbay was as bad as he has been handling the ball all season, turning it over five times, often carelessly. Under Tubby Smith the Gophers don't use a pressure defense as consistently, as teams like Missouri or Louisville, but they will occasionally press to exploit an opposing guard with a shaky handle. If Balbay makes mistakes early, Rick Barnes won't be afraid to attach his backside to the bench.
Crash the defensive glass. Kansas State killed the Longhorns on the offensive glass with 15 offensive rebounds, a skill they possess in ample quantifies -- they are the second-best offensive rebounding team in the country, grabbing an astonishing 42.1% of their misses. Minnesota isn't nearly as proficient, ranking 69th in the country, pulling down 36% of their missed shots. Minnesota does have some active bigs and could give the Longhorns trouble if they don't block out. Minnesota isn't going to consistently beat teams on the offensive glass, but it's been a problem recently for Texas.
Balbay's defense improved. PB's Basketball Report v. 2.7 sparked a lengthy debate in the comments sections about the merits of Dogus Balbay's defense, with my contribution regarding Balbay's issues avoiding foul far out on the perimeter. Since that time, Balbay has been much improved in the area, not committing any fouls away from the basket during the last several games, an impossible task for him during much of the season. If he can continue to play good on-the-ball defense without fouling he could be a significant force on the defensive end in the tournament.

Gopher sophomore has flair for the dramatic. Blake Hoffarber. If the name rings a bell somewhere deep in the back of your mind, it should. Take a moment to refresh your memory with the clip below, perhaps:

Most Amazing Basketball Shot Ever (via Petersoncinema)

Hoffarber certainly could have called it quits after that incredible shot to send the game into overtime for the state championship in Minnesota and always been famous, but when you have that kind of flair for the dramatic, why stop there? Playing for his home state school as a freshman last season, Hoffarber further cemented his place in basketball lore during the Big 10 Tournament, hitting another ridiculous shot:

Minnesota-Indiana: Blake Hoffarber miracle shot (via trojanloy)

It's not all circus shots for Hoffarber, though compared to a solid freshman season that saw him average more than eight points per game and knock down more than 40% of his three-point attempts, he has suffered from the proverbial sophomore slump, with his scoring average, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, three-point percentage, and assist-to-turnover ratio all down from his freshman season.

If he gets hot, it's from the three-point line, hitting 6-10 against Ohio State this season and 5-8 against Colorado State. Given his propensity for making big shots in big moments, if the game is close coming down to the wire, watch out for Hoffarber, as he would no doubt like to add a game-winning shot in the NCAA Tournament to his constantly-growing list of ridiculous shots.

Getting to know Lawrence Westbrook. The cousin of Brian Westbrook, the Eagles running back, junior guard Lawrence leads the Golden Gophers in scoring at 12.4 points per game, the only player on the team to average in double digits. At six feet tall, Westbrook is undersized for an off guard and doesn't shoot the three-pointer particularly well, peaking at 39% his sophomore season before regressing to 35% this season.

He isn't a player to close out on out of control, but is a streaky shooter, able to knock down three or more if he hits the first one or starts feeling good about himself. One way Westbrook starts feeling good about himself is by getting to the free-throw line, where he shoots 85%. Basically, the idea for the Texas guards is not to let Westbrook do what Jacob Pullen did for Kansas State on Thursday -- hitting some wide-open looks to get himself in rhythm, then using foul shots to find the confidence to make even more difficult shots. Make things consistently difficult early by taking away open rhythm looks from outside and not bailing him out when he gets in the lane -- keep him off the free-throw line.

Westbrook doesn't create much for his teammates, averaging only 1.5 assists per game, a rate lower than teammate Damian Johnson, a 6-7 forward. Strangely, when Westbrook does create for his teammates Minnesota struggles -- 1-3 in games Westbrook had four or more assists. For the season, Westbrook has 18 more turnovers than assists -- 63 to 45. For comparison, AJ Abrams, much maligned for his supposed lack of playmaking ability, has only three more turnovers than assists, 46 to 43.

If the Longhorn guards can put pressure on Westbrook, he does sometimes make poor decisions with the ball, committing four turnovers on four separate occasions, while managing only two assists in those games. It might be a game to pressure Minnesota, taking the ball out of the hands of primary ball-handler Al Nolen and forcing Westbrook to make decisions -- a great assignment for Varez Ward, who could really bother the smaller player. Dogus Balbay is another option, with his pressuring perimeter defense.

Tubby Smith was concerned enough about the decision making of Westbrook and fellow starter Nolen to bench them for the final two games of the regular season, a time that saw Minnesota fighting for their post-season life. A strong statement from Tubby, who is hoping that his leading scorer can stay under control against the Longhorns. When Texas struggled in the middle of the conference season, it was while opposing guards torched Texas -- think Denis Clemente and Corey Higgins -- making it critical for the Longhorns to keep Westbrook from becoming the 2009 WTF? Scorer, v. 3.0.

Another gut-check against Missouri. Last season, it took extreme adversity in the form of two incredibly ugly performances against Missouri for Chance Ruffin to step up and become the leader of the team. The team this season is in much better shape, coming into the Sunday game against the Tigers at 13-2 and ranked number one in the country. However, the Longhorns split the first two games in a double-header on Saturday, struggling once again to score runs, leaving Sunday as the rubber game in the series.

Even with the supposedly hitter-friendly lineup including Russell Moldenhauer and Michael Torres against tough right-handed Nick Tepesch, the Longhorns managed only 1 run in the first eight innings against the Mizzou starter, taking poor swings and making poor contact for most of the afternoon.

Finally, down 3-1 in the ninth, Texas scored three runs to win the game on an error by the shortstop, trying to complete a double play that would have ended the Texas threat with the game tied. Kevin Keyes pinch hit to provide his trademark power, driving a 2-2 offering to the deepest part of the ballpark for a double and the first run of the inning. Travis Tucker followed with a single poked over the second baseman's head on an 0-2 count to tie the game and Michael Torres put the ball in play with two strikes that led to the final error and Texas victory.

Augie preaches concentration, a trait the Longhorns showed at the plate during the final inning, but something they need to do more consistently before it's almost too late. Don't press at the plate, but approach each at-bat with full mental concentration brought to bear. It's impossible to do so all the time in baseball, but doing it when the game is on the line is certainly a major asset to a team and demonstrates the resiliency that defines champions.

It's too early to say this team is championship-caliber, but wins like Sunday start making you want to believe.

Sick pitching, slick fielding. It's a time-tested recipe for success honed by head chief Augie. Prepared lovingly, with just the right pinch of situational hitting, the 2005 team had the exact ingredients and prep skills to make a sixth championship a reality, with a staff era of 2.80, led by starters Kenn Kasparek, Kyle McCulloch, and Adrian Alaniz, each with an ERA under 3.00, and only 62 errors on the season, a .978 fielding percentage.

If the early returns on the season are an indication, the 2009 team is gathering the ingredients together to finally make a run at a return to Omaha. Defensively, the fielding percentage is currently within two plays out of one thousand of the 2005 team, with a .980 fielding percentage marred only by the uneven play of David Hernandez, who has committed seven of the team's 12 errors, including four against Texas State. For some reason, Hernandez had a reputation coming in as a good defensive shortstop and light hitter, but made 20 errors last season for an unsightly .927 fielding percentage, far too low for a shortstop, while exceeding expectations at the plate. Since Brandon Loy is a natural shortstop, Hernandez's job could be in jeopardy if he doesn't field better, but moving Preston Clark to third, the most likely replacement for Loy probably won't happen and Tant Shepard, who played some third last season, seems to have moved to the outfield permanently.

Back to the positives. Check out the pitching stats. Yes, they are real. The top five pitchers on the staff -- Austin Wood, Taylor Jungmann, Brandon Workman, Cole Green, and Chance Ruffin -- all have ERA's under 2.00, with the team sitting at a cool 1.41. In fact, the pitching has been so completely dominating that none of those five even allow opponents to bat over .200 againt them, led by Brandon Workman, who allows a paltry .108 batting average to opposing hitters. Is it a fluke? No, though the numbers will undoubtedly climb at least a little bit during the conference season.

That group of five really is that good, with the only weak link on the staff looking like senior left-hander and junkballer Keith Shinaberry. The submariner has a low ERA at 1.93, which is deceptive, as he's given up five runs in 4.2 innings, as many runs as Cole Green has given up in 27.1. His control isn't the issue, as he hasn't walked anyone, the problem is that he isn't fooling anyone, giving up eight hits and two of the five home runs given up by the staff. That's 40% of the home runs in 3.3% of the innings. That's bad. I've been done with Shinaberry for years as anything more than a situational left-hander, which should be the absolute extent of his role. He probably can't single-handedly keep the Longhorns from going deep into the post season, but he could certainly lose an important game in or on the way to Omaha.

Besides Shinaberry, the rest of the pitching staff may be the best staff the Longhorns have put together in a long, long time. And just think, if they fall short this season, all of the major contributors besides Austin Wood will return in 2010. That's gotta be enough to make baseball coaches around the Big 12 openly weep.

As for the 2009 team, the ingredients are there for post season success if the pitching can hold up and the offense can improve over the course of the season. For the first time since 2005, this is a Texas baseball team as Augie Garrido would want it constructed and that is an absoutely beautiful thing for a Texas baseball fan spoiled by the 2002-05 run.

Does Tubby's Recruiting Class Address the Team's Needs?

PJS — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:56:00 -0000

As Tubby Smith's Gophers have stumbled down the stretch, a large contingent of the fanbase has relaxed, noting that this is simply a building year. They point to the lack of departing talent at seasons end and to the team's second consecutive nationally competitive recruiting class.

This is a building block year, many say, and the team will take off as Ralph Sampson III, Devoe Joseph, Paul Carter and Colton Iverson grow along with incoming recruits Royce White, Rodney Williams, Trevor Mbakwe and Justin Cobbs.

Maybe. But I'm not sure the new parts fit our needs.

For much of the second half of the Big Ten slate, Coach Smith has forced the ball inside after he figured out that our outside shooters were suspect at best. And if this team has a strength at the moment, it is scoring inside. RSIII has been solid. Colton Iverson has been OK. Damian Johnson has found ways to score inside.

No doubt this team can still be better inside. And Smith's recruiting class addresses that. Let's take the recruits one by one.

Royce White: A 6'7 combo forward, but more of an interior player than a slasher or shooter, White is the most heralded player Smith has brought in so far. Here's what ESPN Insider says.

White is a strong combination forward that plays more like a power forward than a small forward at this point. He is physical around the basket where on the left low block he likes to face and attack the rim along the baseline. White is strong enough to finish through contact when he gets his shoulders square to the basket. On the right low block he will also face and attack the middle of the lane and finish with his left hand over the defense. White loves to drive left when his faces up. White is an average shooter at best behind the arc and this is an area that he needs to develop along with adding some scoring drives off the dribble.

It's possible that White comes in and immediately takes the reigns as the team's best offensive player. But without an outside option to unclog the lanes, White will have little room to operate. What's not mentioned here that I've seen elsewhere is White's knack for the assist. That's great for a big man to have as he's being double-teamed in the post. But, again, we need an outside shooter to make defenses pay.

Trevor Mbakwe: A Minnesota product who comes to the Gophers from Marquette via Miami Dade Community College, Mbakwe is another interior option. At 6'8 and 220 pounds, Mbakwe is more of a long and athletic type of low post player with the ability to hit a 15 foot jumper, according to ESPN's scouts.

Along with White, RSIII, Iverson, Johnson and Carter, Mbakwe will add to what will be one of the Big Ten's best interior groups. Just two years after the Monson/Molinari regime ended--a regime that was always dominated on the inside--this group will represent a complete 180. Coach Smith has done a tremendous job shoring up his players in the paint.

Rodney Williams: Described as "off the charts athletic," Williams might be the most athletic recruit coming into the Big Ten. Athleticism is certainly one of Minnesota's needs, and Williams should be able to get to the basket against most competition. But he isn't exactly a shooter at this point. From ESPN.

Williams is an above the rim highlight in transition. Catching lobs is his specialty. Williams also scores with a one or two dribble pull up going to his right or a running floater where he uses his leaping ability and length to score over opponents. Skill development must be at the top of his list to be successful in college. Williams struggled to score in a half court setting. He must work on his overall shooting and ball handling. He didn't look comfortable shooting the three or making scoring moves off the dribble (Timberwolve Shootout). He also had trouble finishing at times once he got to the rim because he seem to be anticipating contact instead of attacking the basket.

If Williams can put together a respectable outside game, he could dominate the Big Ten eventually. But his current struggles in the half court and lack of comfort shooting from the outside will reinforce Minnesota's current weaknesses.

Make no mistake, I think Williams is a tremendous addition and will eventually add quite a bit. But I'm not sure he addresses the team's most dire need: A consistent scorer from the outside.

Justin Cobbs: A point guard that will probably be given every chance to win the starting point guard job, Cobbs has earned a reputation as a talented point guard with upside. Interesting analysis here.

Cobbs is one of the most debatable players on the west coast. On the one hand, his competiveness, athleticism, and improved skill are attractive to any coach on any level. However, his decision-making (specifically his shot selection), is troublesome to say the least. He takes very difficult shots early in the shot clock that leave you shaking your head, but there is no question he is a talent. He is extremely explosive in the open court and is very strong going to the basket and had some of the most acrobatic finishes of the tournament (Mission Prep Christmas Classic). He can knock down the 3-point shot and he gets great lift on it.

No doubt that Cobbs' competitiveness is what drew Coach Smith to him. And it's great to see that Cobbs is confident shooting the rock. But Tubby has a short leash and will not put up with out of control shot selection. It'll be intersting to see where Cobbs shakes out next year. Will he earn time at the point? If he does, will Devoe Joseph slide over into the two-guard slot? No matter what happens, Cobbs might be the most important member of this class. If he pans out into a solid point guard who can score, then Minnesota will be scary for the next few years. If not, the Gophers will continue to have the same problems they've been having.

Bryant Allen: A Missouri native who signed a letter of intent to play for Coach Brewster, Allen could be another member of Minnesota's backcourt. At 6' 160, Allen is a point guard who is described as a streaky outside shooter who is very quick and athletic off the dribble. If he plays basketball, he too will be in the mix at the point guard spot.

Conclustion: Each of the incoming recruits could be very good in a number of areas. But in looking at the common perceptions surrounding each of them, I'm not sure this incoming recruiting class has addressed the team's most dire need, that is, finding a guard who can score consistently from the outside.

In fairness, when Smith was putting this class together the largest perceived weakness was a lack of a stable inside presence. No doubt that has been addressed. And Williams' athleticism will be great to see in Williams Arena. But unless Williams, Cobbs, Allen, or current guards Nolen, Westbrook, Joseph or Hoffarber begin to hit shots from the outside, next year's team, while tougher on the inside, might suffer from the same issues.

Swept Away By Westbrook: Minnesota 51, Wisconsin 46

PJS — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:47:27 -0000

Lawrence Westbrook could have sulked. He could have complained at the end of the bench about Tubby Smith's decision to keep him on the sidelines to start the game.

Westbrook didn't do any of that. And for the second time this season, Westbrook took over a game during the final minutes against the Badgers of Wisconsin. The junior guard rescued an otherwise stagnant Minnesota offense by scoring 15 second half points--and the team's last 10--to lift Minnesota to a fun 51-46 win over the Badgers Wednesday night at Wiliams Arena..

For their part, the Badgers didn't give this game away. They played their typical stingy defense. And senior Marcus Landry did his best to put his team on his back, scoring a game-high 18 points to give the Badgers a late 46-43 lead.

But Westbrook had none of it. On the bench to start the game, the enigmatic shooting guard put the Golden Gophers back in the thick of the NCAA Tournament conversation.

Before Westbrook stole the show, the Gophers claimed a 10 point first half lead by pounding the ball inside. Minnesota's high-low set with freshmen Ralph Sampson III and Colton Iverson was effective, if not proficient. At one point, the Gophers led the inside scoring battle 20-2. That couldn't have made Bo Ryan happy.

But it was an indication that Tubby Smith has laid down the law. With the team's porous outside shooting of late, the Gophers are clearly at their best when they are scoring inside (or in transition). Iverson had 8 points inside and Sampson had 4. But along with their points, both big men also were able to get the Badgers in to early second half foul trouble.

Speaking of laying down the law, Westbrook wasn't the only starting guard to ride the pine at the beginning of the game. Al Nolen was replaced in the starting lineup by Devoe Joseph. Frankly, I completely agree with Smith's decision to bench Nolen and Westbrook. He needed to send a message to both players, who have had a tendency to play out of control lately.

Joseph played admirably. He hit an open jumper on the wing to open the game. And he played solid defense during crunch time. The fact that Joseph was on the floor in the final minutes should indicate Smith's confidence in the freshman guard. Blake Hoffarber started at the other guard spot and contributed despite not being the three-point ace he was last year. As someone noted in the game thread, Hoffarber is superior to all of his teammates when it comes to executing a simple entry pass. Hoffarber only had 2 points, but he led the team in assists (3) and, in my opinion, earned more playing time.

During Minnesota's February struggles, perhaps the biggest issue was turnovers. Well, tonight the Gophers had just 10 turnovers to Wisconsin's 14. If the message Smith was sending was to protect the ball, the kids heard it.

But the night, even if it started auspiciously, belonged to Westbrook. It was a team effort, but the young man from Chandler, Arizona is the biggest reason Goldy the Gopher was running around with a broom at Williams Arena late Wednesday night. For the Badgers, it had to be almost like deja vu. Let's flash back to Minnesota's 78-74 overtime win in Madison.

In particular, Westbrook was insane. He finished with a career-high 29 points (nine in overtime), and it was the type of offensive performance that he's always been capable of but rarely produced. He was every bit the go-to man the Gophers need. He hit from outside. He made Jordan-esque hanging, double-clutch, reverse, under-handed layups. OK, that's a stretch. But he was damn good.

Westbrook has had his ups and downs this year, but for the second time this season he's carried his teammates during the final minutes against our border rival. And for taking the benching in stride and performing anyway, Westbrook deserves the accolades he will receive.

Next up: One more at Williams Arena. Senior night for Jamal Abu-Shamala and Jonathan Williams. A win and we're in.

Michigan Basketball Game 27: Minnesota at Michigan - A Q & A The Daily Gopher

Maize n Brew Dave — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:10:14 -0000

The Game: Minnesota Golden Gophers (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten) at Michigan Wolverines (16-10, 6-7 Big Ten).
Tipoff: 7 p.m. EST today.
TV: Big Ten Network.
Radio: WWWW-FM (102.9), WWJ-AM (950).
Latest line: Michigan is favored by 3 1/2 points.

The Enemy

But he's soooooo cute.... Kill it. via sjmc.umn.edu

If you want a professionally done preview, go here. However, if you want to learn something about tonight's Match-Up with the Varmint Cong, stick around buddy boy.

In an interview orchestrated by the outlaw broadcast network al-JaGophera television, we sat down with Generalismo Dougie Svensen (who's real name is actually Gopher Nation of the kick-ass SBN Minnesota Blog The Daily Gopher, which you should be reading, daily), to ask him a few questions about the Gophers' 2009 basketball team and the agenda of the University of Minnesota People's Basketball Liberation Army, Doncha Know (UMPBLADK). However, the cost was steep. In order to meet with Gopher Nation, via teleconference, somewhere in the Mall of America (by the Cinnabun! [which Cinnabun? there are like 60 of them in the MoA!]), we were forced to turn over our own assessment of Michigan's team.

The Daily Gopher will have our responses up soon. Provided of course that all the Caddy Shack and Mall jokes don't anger them to the point of hunting me down with a logging axe and a big blue Ox.

Don't sleep, he's a steely eye'd killer.

Tonight's tip off is at 6 Central, and we'll have the live blog up and running for your commenting pleasure. We'll do our best to keep it basketball focused, but the occasional dick and fart joke must be made. It's just a rule. One other rule. No unicorns. While awesome, unicorns are the exclusive domain of the WLA. If you want unicorns, go there. We'll try to keep it basketball focused, as best we can. By the way, Gopher Fans, you're invited to the party too. Join us. Mock our failing auto industry as we mock you for being Canada except without the charm.

I keed. I keed.

Now, on to the questioning!

1. The numbers say Lawrence Westbrook is Minnesota's best player. Does reality bare that out? I'm scratching my head how he's only playing 23 minutes a game if he's option 1. Who is Minnesota's best player: a) consistently; and b) on talent alone.

I am of the opinion that Westbrook is at best our third or fourth best player. He absolutely carried us in our win at Wisconsin when he scored 29 including a game tying three in the final seconds. But he in all honesty he is our leading scorer because he takes the most shots (60 more than the next closest guy). He is seeing his minutes decrease because freshman Devoe Joseph is improving and Westbrook is often a turnover machine (leads the team and has few assists).

(Devoe? - Ed.)

Girl. I. Must warn youuuuuuuuuu......

We don't have a "best player." If pressed I would say Al Nolen and Damian Johnson are our two best players overall. The are leaders they are great defenders and adequate on offense. Nolen has struggled lately but these two are currently our best players.

2. How is only one player averaging double digits? Is this a system thing? Minnesota's third in offense without a true lead scorer. Explain.

It is partly a system thing and partly an issue of having good role players but no great scorers. Hoffarber is a great shooter, Johnson is offensively efficient, Nolen can score from his defense and usually one other guy (Westbrook, Joseph, Carter) will step up with an occasional big game.

3. So, two years in. How's Tubby working out? Are you starting to see some of the reasons the Kentucky faithful ran him out of town or are you laughing at Kentucky for letting a great coach walk out the door? Or is the truth somewhere in between?

What a bum, Kentucky can have him back! If he doesn't get us to the Final Four this year what a waste of two seasons we could have had under Dan Monson. I mean who cares about a top 20 recruiting class followed by a top 10 recruiting class if you can't win 95% of your games. (Am I allowed to have Kentucky standards yet?)

(No. - Ed.)

Seriously I have a huge man crush on Tubby. Currently our offense has been struggling but Gopher fans need to keep perspective because we are about to get our second 20 win season in a row and are on the verge of the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in a decade. This team's talent is in it's freshman and sophomore classes; and we have an outstanding recruiting class coming in next year. Things look bright for this program and it is entirely because of Tubby Smith.

Is it bad that this is what enters my mind when I hear "man crush"?

4. What's this pressure defense you speak of? What are we going to see defensively from the Varmint Cong?

Well, the last few games has seen the defesive pressure look vastly different than it did during the first two-thirds of the season. But on the season this Gopher defense has been second in the Big Ten at forcing turnovers and third in defensive effective FG%. This team really has no offensive identity that doesn't stem from their defense. During the non-conference portion of the schedule we pressed often and with great effectiveness but during the Big Ten the press comes and goes. But whether half or full court this team plays very good defense starting with Nolen's quick hands in the backcourt and the shotblocking ability of Johnson, Sampson and Iverson in the frontcourt.

5. Biggest weakness on the team. What is it? Something had to drop you guys from the Louisville win to the cusp of the NCAA bubble. What's the stone anchor weighing you down?

Lack of true scorer and turnovers (I have to pick two things). We do a great job of turning teams over but we also have a tendancy to give away possessions ourselves. This team could overcome our turnovers if we had a stronger presence on the offensive end, someone who other teams feared. But we do not and our margin for error is generally pretty slim. (Michigan knows what that feels like - Ed.)

Manny thanks to the General....er... Gopher Nation for taking the time to meet with us and talk some hoops. We'll see you all tonight for the Game! Go Blue.

Minnesota vs. Louisville - TDG Preview

GopherNation — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:42:04 -0000

Broadcast on FSN-North on Saturday, 1:00 pm
Game Thread will be here at TDG
Check out Card Chronicle to learn more about the Cardinals.

Finally the non-conference game we have all been waiting for. This game against 9th ranked Louisville is the highest ranked, non-conference opponent the Gophers have faced since Rick Rickert, Steve Esslink, Mo Hargrove and company traveled to Eugene, Oregon to face the 5th ranked Ducks. For the record the final was a nine point loss and I believe it was the last time the Gophers were ranked (did not fully check that fact).

So it goes without saying that a match up against a highly ranked non-conference opponent is rare and we should savor and enjoy this game. Chances are good that we will come up short, but the opportunity to face a top level team will expose weaknesses and be valuable as we prepare for Big Ten play.

The Facts Are These...

Efficiency Stats

	Louisville	Minnesota
Off Eff	1.092	1.118
Def Eff	0.786	0.939
Differential	0.306	0.179

eFG%	51.2%	54.7%
Def eFG%	39.4%	44.8%
TO %	17.0%	21.1%
Off Reb %	33.7%	38.0%
Def Reb %	75.7%	63.0%

Louisville's defensive efficiency numbers are very good. They rank top five nationally in points allowed per possession (.786), Def eFG% (39.4) and Def Reb% (75.7%). Obviously they are very good defensively. They will also throw on a full court press on made baskets, which is more useful for taking a few more seconds off the shot clock than it is for creating havoc and generating turnovers.

Key Players

NAME		PTS	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	FG%	FT%	3P%
#5 - Earl Clark	F (6-9)	13.3	9.1	3.6	1.9	0.3	1.8	48.8%	69.0%	40.0%
#1 - Terrence Williams	F (6-6)	10.1	9.4	4.8	2.3	2.3	0.8	38.7%	48.3%	28.1%
#24 - Samardo Samuels	C (6-8)	16.0	7.3	1.1	1.9	0.9	1.4	55.7%	72.7%	0.0%
#34 - Jerry Smith	G (6-1)	8.4	2.1	1.3	0.5	1.1	0.0	51.1%	60.0%	44.4%
#33 - Andre McGee	G (5-10)	4.9	2.0	2.1	1.5	1.3	0.0	28.9%	75.0%	29.4%

#2 - Preston Knowles	G (6-1)	7.3	2.8	1.3	0.4	1.4	0.1	44.7%	71.4%	42.3%
#10 - Edgar Sosa	G (6-1)	6.1	1.1	3.6	2.5	0.8	0.1	30.8%	76.9%	23.3%
#23 - Terrence Jennings	F (6-10)	2.7	1.8	0.5	0.3	0.2	0.5	80.0%	0.0%	0.0%

Seven guys eat up the vast majority of the minutes with a handfull of players chipping in 4-8 minutes. Terrance Jennings is typically in that mix of guys who play significanly fewer than Knowles and Sosa but I would expect he'll get more time tonight as matching up with Minnesota's twin tower freshmen will likely be necessary. Their three forwards are all very good. Samardo Samuels is a freshman who has been very good. He is big, strong and very quick. This will be a tough match up for Iverson and Sampson. Earl Clark (pictured right) is their other star player. He is a great all around player that

Matching up with the Cardinals...

I was able to watch a significant portion of their game last night. The first things I noticed was that this team is athletic and fast. Much more so than the Gophers. They get up the floor quick, they put on a lot of pressure defensively and their forwards in particular could potentially make ours look like oak trees. Our athleticism is much improved from a year ago but we will still clearly be the slower team in the University of Phoenix stadium.

Their game last night was a little hectic and a pretty average Ole Miss team was able to hang with Louisville, tying the game wiht just over 5 min remaining before Louisville closed out the game with a 10-1 run.

On the Perimeter - Watching their game last night I took comfort as I pictured Absolute Zero (Nolen) handling the ball and defending their perimeter. He is good with the ball and defensively he is very good. Assuming he continues to keep his assists and steals up along with low turnovers he'll be will be extremely valuable.

Westbrook should be find defensively as this will be a good match up for him as well, but the increased speed might mean turnovers and low FG% for him. This is a homecoming game for him so maybe he starts feeling it and lights up the scoreboard, or he thinks he's feeling it and just takes a lot of ill advised shots. He is our leading scorer so we need him to play well.

I think that we'll get plenty of threes off, especially if they come out in their matchup zone, so potentially this could be nice for Hoffarber. But what they seem to thrive on is moving while the pass is in the air, rushing the shooters which results in a rushed shot and low percentages. So, I think we'll see some open looks which hopefully means Hoffarber will get some of those looks and be relaxed enough to drain them.

Air Canada (Joseph) and Bostick will be interesting to watch as this will be the fastest game they have ever seen. For Joseph I think you'll see fewer minutes than usual as this will be an adjustment. Bostick on the other hand has the potential to rise up to games like this. This game just may be the game in which he break out.

Abu-Shamala and "What Else" (Busch) will frighten me when they are on the floor. Busch can possibly be effective if a reserve forward is in the game that he can guard, but Abu-Shamala trying to defend anyone on the perimeter is a nightmare matchup for the Gophers.

In the Paint - Every match up here is going to be really intriguing. To begin with I've gotta believe Tubby will put DJ Swat on Earl Clark to start the game. This will be a great match up to watch. Clark is a future draft pick and DJ is one of the most underrated players in the Big Ten. Johnson will (not should, will) play great defense on Clark and hopefully make him fairly neutral. If DJ can keep Clark to 10-12 points and keep him off the glass that will go a long way towards the Gophers staying in this game.

The next fun match up will be Louisville's athletic center vs. our either of our freshman centers (Colt-45 or RSIII). Samuels isn't as tall but he is more physical and more athletic. Realistically this is a bad match up for us, but it will be great to see how our guys respond to the best player they have had to guard all year.

Finally it wil lbe intriguing to see who starts and likely guards Williams. If he's ready, I'd start Carter here to guard the athletic Williams. But it could be Abu-Shamala (bad for us) or it could be DJ here then RSIII and Colt-45 start at the 4 and 5 spots.

On the Bench - this is more about the coaches than the reserves. Tubby vs. Pitino is the storyline for this game. Their history is well chornicled and I'm not going to be able to bring anything to this discussion that you can't find anywhere else today. Coaching styles are very similar, especially defensively. On the offensive end I would imagine Pitino will try to push the tempo while Tubby will want his team be a little more patient. We can't afford to take bad shots or turn the ball over because we are being hurried. We have to control tempo for Tubby to be successful.

Quick Predictions

I am more confident in our chances than I was a couple weeks ago. Louisville dropped a game to Western Kentucky, did not look particularly dominant last night vs. Ole Miss and on one day's rest they have to travel to Arizona and play. I'm still not confident enough to predict a victory.

This game has the potential for us to make a lot of mistakes due to Louisville pressure and increased game speed. If we can take care of the ball, take good shots and not get killed on the boards we can stay in this game. I know that is true for most games but there is serious potential that we all three of those areas go very wrong and this game gets out of hand very quickly.

Here is what will happen. Louisville gets out to a quick start because we haven't played in 10 days and they are going to come out ready to go. But I then expect they will have a lapse in the middle of the half. THIS is when we either get back into the game or stay at arms length until the Cardinals go on another run to burry us.

We keep this game close but eventually lose by 7.

Virginia @ Minnesota in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge

GopherNation — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:42:11 -0000

Time: 8:30 CST
TV: ESPN2
Radio: WCCO-830
Open Game Thread: right here at TDG

As I type this the Big Ten is leading the ACC/Big Ten Challenge thanks to Wisconsin's win last night over Virginia Tech. While pretty much everybody is predicting the ACC will move to 10-0 all time in this event, let's see what the Gopher's chances are of at least giving the Big Ten a second win this year.

The Virginia Cavaliers are making the trip to the Barn. Doing a preview like this is a little difficult when you haven't seen the Cavalier play. So I'll start with the facts and end with the commentary.

Efficiency Stats

	Virginia	Minnesota
Off Eff	1.069	1.138
Def Eff	1.049	0.977
Differential	0.020	0.161

eFG%	48.3%	56.6%
Turnover %	18.0%	21.3%
Off Reb %	39.8%	37.7%
Def Reb%	70.8%	63.9%

The numbers, especially for Minnesota, are a little skewed because the opponents have been pretty weak. Virginia has played and lost to Syracuse which gives them a stronger strength of schedule but they also lost to Liberty which has to mean something.

By the numbers Minnesota shoots much better, scores more per possession and allows fewer points per possession, all against non-BCS and likely non-NCAA Tournament level teams.

Virginia turns it over less and rebounds better but again these numbers will be a little misleading based on their schedule. The rebounding numbers are a little off because of the Liberty game. The Flames tallest starter is a 6-5 freshman, this five guard lineup led to UVA outrebounding Liberty by 15. Against teams with decent size in the middle rebounding was essentiall even. The guy to look out for on the boards is 6-8, forward Mike Scott who has three games of double digit rebounding.

One number not included in the table above (maybe I should) is defensive eFG%, this is a key stat for tonight's game as UVA ranks 286th in the country in Def eFG% giving up a percentage of 53.1 per game. If you recall, eFG% is your typical FG% calculation with a little bonus added for making threes. This has been documented that UVA has had trouble defending the three and this stat adds to that fact. This will be a huge key for tonight (Blake Hoffarber anyone?).

Key Players for UVA

PLAYER	Yr (Hght)	POS	PTS	REB	AST	NOTES
#15 - Sylven Landesberg	FR (6-6)	G	20.8	5.6	2.6	true freshman scoring nearly 21 per game
#13 - Sammy Zeglinski	rFR (6-0)	G	13.8	4.0	3.4	redshirt freshman
#4 - Calvin Baker	JR (6-2)	G	9.0	2.4	3.6	most recent two games have been his best two games
#32 - Mike Scott	SO (6-8)	F	12.0	11.2	1.4	has rebounding nights of 10, 17 and 18 on the books this year
#24 - Mamadi Diane	SR (6-5)	F	6.0	3.8	1.0	Led team in 3pnt FGs last year but is 0-14 in 2008-09.

#23 - Jeff Jones	SO (6-4)	G	6.0	1.6	1.4	starter last year
#12 - Jamil Tucker	JR (6-9)	F	6.6	3.8	0.2	offensive threat off the bench
#5 - Assane Sene	FR (7-0)	C	1.0	1.0	1.0	freshman big man started Syracuse game, played only 7min
#21 - Tunji Soroye	SR (6-11)	C	3.7	4.0	0.0	playing time has decreased with each game

Their biggest contributors are on the perimeter yet they tend to not play great perimeter defense and tend to do well on the boards. On paper their forwards do not scare me offensively (I say on paper, because I have not actually seen them play). One would think that holding Landesberg and Zeglinski in check would make scoring difficult for the Cavs. Looking at their schedule Landesberg is averaging 23.6 in their three wins and 16.5 in their two losses. So I guess that makes him key #1 for the Gophers.

Keys to the Game

Minimize Landesberg. Through his long career as a Cavelier his team is undefeated when he reaches 20 points and 0-2 when he doesn't. True, it is only through five games but the McDonald's All-American is a dynamic scorer and a 6-6 guard is not a great matchup for the Gophers. Nolen and Westbrook generously top out a 6-1. Abu-Shamala matches up in size but God help us if he is guarding Landesberg on the perimeter. It will be very interesting to see how we match up and handle this kid. His minutes have been down but I wonder if Bostick will get a chance to use his 6-5 frame to guard Landesberg when he comes off the bench.
Rebounding, especially that Mike Scott kid. I'm declaring Mike Scott as the UVA version of Damian Johnson. He scores some, rebounds a lot and does things necessary for teams to win. 17 and 18 rebound nights are impressive, but I'm counting on Damian to neutralize Scott. Keep him off the boards. Whether it is DJ or one of our freshmen bigs, keep
him off the glass.
Inside THEN Outside. I want to see a big night from Hoffarber and anyone else who wants to score from the perimeter. But first I'd really like to see is a concerted effort to pound the ball inside to start the game. Let Johnson, Iverson and Sampson work to get things going on the inside then once they are sucked in a little let the Hoff get it going from the outside. I'm predicting a big game from the sophomore instant offense.

This game is entirely winable for the Gophers. Virginia is probably more athletic and has the most dynamic scorer on the floor, but I also believe Minnesota is the better team defensively and is playing on their home floor. I'm counting on a big night for Nolen defensively, Hoffarber offensively, Johnson on the boards and another impressive performance from one of the freshmen big men.

It has been discussed here a number of times but our schedule is incredibly weak. This is the team's only realistic chance to get any credibility outside of the Big Ten schedule. A must win, it is not; but it would do a lot for our tournament resume by getting this in the W column.