Touh draw

[BigGopherFan]

Minnesota has been playing well the last three weeks, but the Gophers got a tough draw for the Big Ten Tournament. Penn State isn't as bad as it was two months ago, and a victory ensures a date with the un-beatable Michigan State. It would have been nice to see Purdue in the second round and even Ohio State, considering the Boilers are without their best player and Minnesota already routed OSU. But oh well, Minnesta needs to beat quality teams to make it to the NCAA, I just thought the bottom half of the bracket looks a lot more daunting.

By touh I obviously mean tough

[GophersOnTheRise]

Why is Michigan State unbeatable? Please don't tell me you're going to give us one of your famous "There's no way we can win this game" speeches.

[betterdeadthanred]

I think OSU will win the BTT, and we were close to beating MSU twice.

[station19]

I think osu is the best team in big 10. However their lack of depth and three games in three days could be difficult.

[betterdeadthanred]

The way we play against the conference it is a decent draw, most importantly no Michigan, if we can beat MSU, play a quite beatable Purdue team. I think 3 wins and we're in.

[centerofmn]

I think this draw is about as good as we could have hoped for...

We play the last place Nittany Lions, and then we have to get through MSU and Purdue, both teams we have shown we can stick with.

Then for the likely finale, we would have to beat OSU. Something we have done once this year.

Obviously, the odds are not in the Gopher's favor to run the table. Certainly not impossible though.

[gopherbadgerman]

I thought it was a decent draw for Minny. If we cant beat PSU, then throw in the towel...

[thestl]

M State is definitely not unbeatable.

[Reserve]

There is a chance and a decent one at that if we get by Michigan State we could be playing Northwestern instead of Purdue to get in the semi's .. at least I think that's the way I looked at the bracket. Brief glance though, I could be wrong. Northwestern's record against Purdue the last few years has been pretty good. Northwestern beat them a few times with Hummell.

Just saying.

[GophersOnTheRise]

Why is Michigan State unbeatable? Please don't tell me you're going to give us one of your famous "There's no way we can win this game" speeches.

Actually, while still annoying to read, I think we might have won all of the games when you gave a speech about how we will lose before hand, so I changed my mind, be my guest. Maybe a classic "glass is half empty" speech by LittleGopherFan is exactly what the Gophers need for a big win against MSU (assuming we beat PSU first, which isn't necessarily a given, but I think they'll get it done).

[KyGopherfan]

A tough draw would've been playing Michigan anytime before the championship game.

[josh087]

Michigan State is quite beatable.

They just aren't beatable on a neutral court facing the Gophers.

[josh087]

Tough Draw?

Did you expect a #6 seed to be able to steamroll its way to teh BTT finals? It's a tough draw because, quite simply, the Gophers are not a quality team.

[howeda7]

Josh087, BigGopherFan and GopherBadger are pessimistic about our chances. Shocking.

[fan of Ray Williams]

A tough draw would've been playing Michigan anytime before the championship game.

Man, ain't that the truth! Gophs can beat Penn State, played with Michigan State (actually had them at the Barn, as everyone knows). Got slighted, imho, by the coaches when they picked 2 Iowa players for Honorable mention to 1 Gopher. Have played well lately, except for the Michigan game. Would love to see them win 2 or 3.

[SelectionSunday]

Respectfully, I disagree. Looking at the big picture (the ability to advance), I think the Gophers are on the better (read: less difficult) part of the bracket.

#1 We don't have to play Michigan the first day. They've kicked our behind on two occasions in what certainly were the Gophers' two worst games of the season. For whatever reason, we've sucked vs. Michigan the last two seasons. If Michigan somehow awakens and finally plays to its ability, at least we wouldn't see them until the finals.

#2 The two teams playing the best basketball right now are in the top half of the bracket. That would be Ohio State and Wisconsin. Given a choice, I'll take my chances with an enigmatic Sparty and/or a Hummel-less Purdue.

Penn State won't be a gimme', in fact I won't be surprised at all if the Gophers are one-and-one, but if we get to Friday, I like our chances better of moving on coming from the bottom half of the bracket.

[rcpratt]

The Gophers got a tough first round draw, but beyond that I think it's very favorable. MSU is certainly beatable, and the Gophers already know they can stick with the Hummel-less version of Purdue. Wisconsin is better than MSU and better than Purdue without Hummel, so I think the bottom of the bracket is much weaker.

[march madness]

IF the gophers have trouble with Penn St. they don't deserve a tourney invite. They need to come out and claim the victory by shoving the ball inside.

[jovs]

Penn State is a tough opening round oponent but I think other than that the bracket aligns nicely for the Gophers. I agree with the others that not having Michigan and Ohio State in the bracket is to their advantage. I think they can beat Michigan State and Purdue, they would have to play well but they can beat those teams.

[The-Real-Truth]

I think osu is the best team in big 10. However their lack of depth and three games in three days could be difficult.

Very true.

[howeda7]

PSU is far better then Indiana or Iowa. But at the end of the day we have to win 2 for it to mean anything and I'd rather have PSU/MSU then Iowa/Wisconsin or Indiana/OSU.

[betterdeadthanred]

Is that why they were 0-2 against them? The only team PSU was better than was NW.

[howeda7]

Is that why they were 0-2 against them? The only team PSU was better than was NW.

Do you honestly feel that right now, Indiana and Iowa are better teams then PSU? Obviously, you make a point that can't be refuted. They did both beat PSU. But the Lions are playing far better now then they were earlier, when both of those losses occured in January. Indiana had a little run in January where they played well (which the Gophers saw) but is back to reality and Iowa is probably about the same, which is to say, still awful. Neither of them could have gone into East Lansing and lost by two points or had Purdue within 6 at home.

[betterdeadthanred]

No, I'm just sick of everyone making PSU out to be better than they really are. I hate Iowa and do not like making this point, but Iowa lost by 7 @ MSU and lost by 11 at home to a Purdue that was much better than the one PSU played.

[BigGopherFan]

Penn State is winning games lately, just in case no noticed. Also, I don't know why everyone thinks it's just fine that Minnesota draws Mich State in round 2. When was the last time the Gophs beat Sparty?

...or Purdue.

[GophersOnTheRise]

Penn State is winning games lately, just in case no noticed. Also, I don't know why everyone thinks it's just fine that Minnesota draws Mich State in round 2. When was the last time the Gophs beat Sparty?

...or Purdue.

When is the last time Minnesota beat Illinois on the road? It hasn't happened in a long time so there is no way it happens this season. Oh wait...

[gopherphan]

BGF, we lost to mich state by 1 at our place with a full complement...theyre playing without allen now. their PG. the one who holds them all together. also. purdue. we lost by 1 at our place, and while theyll be bascially at a home game in indy, theyre without hummel and havent shown any spark whatsoever

[rcpratt]

BGF, we lost to mich state by 1 at our place with a full complement...theyre playing without allen now. their PG. the one who holds them all together. also. purdue. we lost by 1 at our place, and while theyll be bascially at a home game in indy, theyre without hummel and havent shown any spark whatsoever
Allen's not a PG. Lucas and Lucious are their points. And Purdue was without Hummel for the final 30 minutes of the Minnesota game, with no preparation on how to play without him.

Not that I don't think the Gophers could beat MSU or Purdue. Both of those things could happen and I really wouldn't be surprised at all.

[underground629]

I still think Penn St. is better than Iowa and Indiana, regardless of records.

[Gold Vision]

I love BigGopherFans pregame threads.

[Dr.Don]

I love BigGopherFans pregame threads.

Me too, always so positive and optimistic. Then after he is proven wrong, we don't hear a word from him. But remember, he is educated and realistic.

[Rosemountian]

Drawing the 11 is never a tough draw. The only team 7-11 that may have been a tough draw for the gophers would be Michigan.

[BigGopherFan]

Explain what is negative about this:
Minnesota has been playing well the last three weeks, but the Gophers got a tough draw for the Big Ten Tournament. Penn State isn't as bad as it was two months ago, and a victory ensures a date with the un-beatable Michigan State. It would have been nice to see Purdue in the second round and even Ohio State, considering the Boilers are without their best player and Minnesota already routed OSU. But oh well, Minnesta needs to beat quality teams to make it to the NCAA, I just thought the bottom half of the bracket looks a lot more daunting.

There is a fine line between negative and simply posting a thought. Negative posts put-down the team with insults and bogus stats, etc. My posts are my opinion. If you don't agree, then politely decline comment. I don't make things personal on this site, so I don't know why everyone gets so pissed when I don't post things that aren't pro-Minnesota all the time. No one has been able to answer that question. I don't feel the need to splatter this site with "Wow, the Gophers are so awesome and are going to run the table all the way to the Big Ten championship." What's the point? Before you keep hurling insults, stop and think: Maybe he has a point. Maybe Penn State has been playing better lately and maybe Michigan State has owned the Gophers over the last decade. Just maybe we can then start an engaging conversation without getting off track on how horrible of a person I am. Reality is, no one on this board knows who I am or what I do. I would honestly appreciate if people would stop with the insults.

[Gold Vision]

You have to admit the timing of these threads have been a little humorous. That's all I am saying. Gophers seem to play great everytime you question their ability whether warranted or not. The post wasn't overly negative this time, I just get a kick out of your string of luck lately.