CBS's Parrish says the Gophers...

[Gopher07]

...will LOSE this weekend to Northwestern.

Prove 'em wrong, Gophs. This is a classic "trap" game that we can't afford to drop.


A crazy prediction (but it might happen anyway): Is it wise to take a school that has never made the NCAA tournament against a man who made 10 consecutive NCAA tournaments at Kentucky before moving to Minnesota, where he has his 18th-ranked Gophers off to a 16-1 start? Honestly, it probably isn't; sounds crazy as hell. But I'm doing it anyway. Why? Because I'm crazy, that's why. So give me Northwestern over Minnesota .... straaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaight up! And if I hit this one Sunday it'll prove I'm smart enough to enroll at Northwestern, which wasn't actually the case when I was looking at colleges way back when.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11268063

[MinnesotaMadman]

People can keep picking against us. NWestern just played Purdue really well. Our boys need to be ready for a tough game. There are no gimmies in the Big 10 this year.

[SelectionSunday]

I'd guess Indiana will beat someone at home, but playing IU on your home court this season is the definition of a gimme. Any (NCAA bid) contender that loses to IU (home or road) or Iowa (on your own court). ... that would be the definition of a "bad loss." Northwestern's good enough to knock off a decent team on the road. Wildcats are significantly better this season, even though their Big Ten record doesn't show it.

[Gopher07]

FWIW, Ken Pomeroy is far from sold on the Gophers as has us finishing out the season 6-7 (going 1-5 in our next 6). He also projects us to lose this weekend to NU.

http://kenpom.com/team.php?y=2009&team=Minnesota

[SelectionSunday]

If the Gophers finish 6-7 the rest of the way like he projects, while adding wins over Michigan & Wisconsin to what they've already done, 10-8 in the Big Ten most likely would be enough to ensure a NCAA bid. However, I suspect at this point most of us are now setting our sights higher than a 10-8 finish.

[jasonsmithers]

I'd personally rather hear about us being "underdogs" or overlooked the whole year by columnists rather than people saying, "The gophers are definitely going to win this one" or something crazy like that. I'd prefer not to have the spotlight on us until sometime in March.

[Plinnius]

FWIW, Ken Pomeroy is far from sold on the Gophers as has us finishing out the season 6-7 (going 1-5 in our next 6). He also projects us to lose this weekend to NU.

http://kenpom.com/team.php?y=2009&team=Minnesota

Actually, his system projects us to go 7-6 and have an 11-7 Big Ten record. He has a system that projects individual games, and another one that takes into account the unlikelihood that we lose all four games where we're given 44, 48, 44, and 41 percent chances to win.

[GopherCrazy]

this seems oddly familiar...

WAIIIIIIIIT A MINUTE!

this has happened before..

[From the Barn]

I have no problem with this. He didn't attempt to justify it, said it probably won't happen, and is basically just taking a random stab at upset.

[Gopher4Life]

We are not a dominant team regardless of the great record. Therefore we could lose any game we play...including a game at Northwestern. Better get used to it. We might be fairly dominant in two years if we can keep the roster intact.

[bga1]

If the Gophers finish 6-7 the rest of the way like he projects, while adding wins over Michigan & Wisconsin to what they've already done, 10-8 in the Big Ten most likely would be enough to ensure a NCAA bid. However, I suspect at this point most of us are now setting our sights higher than a 10-8 finish.

Hoffarber will be important against NW. If he or Bostic or whoever can get hot on the baseline 3 point shots that NW gives you-it's over for the Cats if not, it'll be a very tough game.
I hope we press early and often to speed them up.

[Friend Of Tubby]

FWIW, Ken Pomeroy is far from sold on the Gophers as has us finishing out the season 6-7 (going 1-5 in our next 6). He also projects us to lose this weekend to NU.

http://kenpom.com/team.php?y=2009&team=Minnesota

Projected record: 23-7 (overall) 11-7 (Big 10) is what Pomeroy says now.

[gopherbadgerman]

He is the one who predicted the Gophs to upset Louisville as well, I believe.