Gophers 22nd in RPI (2nd in B1G) and only team in the country with 11 wins

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MadtownGopher

MadtownGopher

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All things considered, I think we have to be satisfied with where we stand right now. We have a shot to make the tournament with a decent conference showing. With Trevor down, I would have expected us to have at least 2 or 3 losses so far.

MNGopherHoops Minnesota Basketball
According to Realtimerpi.com, the #Gophers are sitting strong with a 22 RPI, second-best in the #B1G
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MNGopherHoops Minnesota Basketball
The #Gophers are also the only team in the country with 11 wins.
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You wouldn't know it with some of the other threads around here.
 

Haha, yeah. That's why I try to add some positive threads every now and then. I'm definitely an optimist when it comes to Gopher sports, which is rare.
 

MadtownGopher said:
All things considered, I think we have to be satisfied with where we stand right now. We have a shot to make the tournament with a decent conference showing. With Trevor down, I would have expected us to have at least 2 or 3 losses so far.
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I agree and disagree.

Agree that being 11-1 is definitely satisfying regardless of Mbakwe's injury. They were going to lose the Dayton game whether he was hurt or not. The only thing more satisfying than 11-1 is 12-0.

However, every game since the Mbakwe injury has been at home vs. inferior and mostly VERY inferior competition. If you expected to lose any of those games, that says a lot. Like Souhan's article a few weeks back - this squad should still be able to beat the Central Michigan's, Virginia Tech's, and USC's of the world AT HOME without Mbakwe.

At the end of the day, this team is 11-1 but has been favored in all 12 games and has not played a single road game. Anything less than 11-1 would be disappointing....
 

I'm just a caveman. Your "ratings percentage index" frightens and confuses me. But there is one thing I do know - the Gophers are not the 22nd best college basketball team in the country.

I still see them as having to play their way into Tournament contention during the conference schedule. I agree with those who say they haven't really demonstrated anything during the non-conference season.
 


Pomeroy Rankings still have them at #43 good for 7th in the B10.
 

All you can do is play and beat the competition that is laid out in front of you. The Gophers have done a good job of winning close games, and hopefully they can continue to do that moving forward.

The RPI and the rankings are given out "impartially" so we might as well embrace it for now, and hopefully it says something about the strength of the team.

We will all learn everything we need to know about this team when they play @Illinois and @Michigan, so at least we don't have to wait that long.

GopherHoopsFan
 

So many debbie downers on this board. I swear half the people that post on this board hope the Gophers go down in flames.
 

I thought we would struggle with Mbakwe in the line up and when he went down...I thought we were done. I have been pleasantly surprised...by both the wins and the way Tubby seems to be letting his young guards play, letting RW play where he should have been all along...at the 4, and the play of Julian Welch...man did we need him to be a player...and he is.

We are still going to struggle in the Big Ten...the conference is deep and talented and we have a difficult schedule...but 9-9 in the Conference and a first round win in the Big Ten Tourny gets us in the dance...no question...and making the NCAA's this year was always the definition of a good year with this team.

As I see it, here is what has to happen for us to make the dance:

1. Armelin and Ahanmisi and Coleman must continue to contribute quality minutes and scoring.
2. RW and RSIII have to be good on the same night for us to beat a quality team.
3. Andre and Julian have to reduce the TOs without losing their intensity and aggression.

I think Austin will remain consistent and the bench of Otto, Ingram and The Great White Hope are going to give us what we have seen so far...which is decent but not great productivity.
 



Whether you're a Gopher skeptic, believer, or underminer, can the objective fan agree that the Trevorless Gophers are playing with commitment and more energy than what we observed with the guardless team of 2010-11? Welch is improving rapidly. Rodney is playing his natural position. If RSIII can get healthy, he can average 10 PPG and 6 RPG. Hollins to the second power can combine for 15 PPG. The point is that with the exception of OSU, WI and MSU, the B1G is not filled with super teams or teams that will beat us with bulk or with guard depth. I'm sorry, PUR, IL, MICH are not super teams. They are solid not great. And since when do NWU (no Juice), PSU (no Battle), NEB (I just don't respect them, sue me) strike fear in the hearts of midwest? The Hawkeyes well, are challenged. This team can compete. I'm not predicting teen wins. I'm just saying that they can be in every home game and selected road games
 

Disclaimer: What I'm about to say could easily be proven wrong during the B10 season.

I think the results of the Gophers so far post-TM injury speak to the extreme importance of quality guard play in the current college game. Last year we lost Nolen and completely fell apart (despite a strong frontcourt) because we didn't have a true guard behind him to rely on. This year, we've lost TM, a much better player by any measurement, and our frontcourt is pretty depleted- yet we've played well because we still have guards who are making things happen and playing solid overall.
 


Gophers might get to NIT if you REALLY think the gophs are big dance material cash out your 401k go to vegas back up your beliefs with $$$$$ investment. Beating chumps at home does not equate to winning half your big ten games
 



THE SCOUT! said:
Gophers might get to NIT if you REALLY think the gophs are big dance material cash out your 401k go to vegas back up your beliefs with $$$$$ investment. Beating chumps at home does not equate to winning half your big ten games
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Why don't you throw your money down in Vegas that the Gophers won't make the tourney. Then you would have an excuse to cheer against them and hope they go down in flames.
 

THE SCOUT! said:
Gophers might get to NIT if you REALLY think the gophs are big dance material cash out your 401k go to vegas back up your beliefs with $$$$$ investment. Beating chumps at home does not equate to winning half your big ten games
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Please. They have 7 games against Iowa, Nebraska, PSU and Northwestern. Getting to 9 wins may or may not happen. But it would hardly be a miracle.
 

howeda7 said:
Please. They have 7 games against Iowa, Nebraska, PSU and Northwestern. Getting to 9 wins may or may not happen. But it would hardly be a miracle.
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Exactly. It'll be tough, and I'm not necessarily expecting it, but it wouldn't shock me in the least if this team won 10 B1G games and made the tourney. It's not like they don't have pieces that can make that happen. Last year's team had so many blown games at the end. Turn half those around and you have a tourney team.

Who knows, maybe the addition of Welch in the backcourt, along with improved play from guys like Austin Hollins and Chip can stabilize those guard positions and help us not throw so many games away in the end. Results have been positive so far concerning end game ability. And they've only gotten better as the season has progressed at being a tad more consistent. Gotta continue to get better if they wanna compete in conference, but we'll see when that time comes whether they can step up to the challenge.
 

Gophers are up to 15 in the RPI. Saw this tweet from Myron...

MedcalfByESPN Myron Medcalf
Minnesota's schedule (see @Coach_Joe_Espo) is genius right now. No. 15 RPI, according to ESPN.com. Solid in BT and they're in.
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With how deep the big ten is 9-9 is probably a lock with 8-10 on the bubble with the big ten tourney being really important.


If Indiana, northwestern, and Minnesota all play well the big ten has a legit shot at 9 tourney teams.
They won't get less than 7.


Especially with the bottom half of the big east and Acc being so mediocre and with the PAC 12 essentialy becoming a good mid major in hoops the last 4 years.
 


Must be a reaction to the Dayton and NDSU RPI change. Awesome things happening for the Gophs right now - gotta keep this play up in the B10. Wisc is a beatable team, along with Purdue this year. I don't like our odds against OSU (with Sullinger) or MSU (they always find a way to beat us by about 1-3 points), and Illini looks tough where we are weak. I wouldn't count us out of many games though. The young guys have gotten some experience at home and are starting to look comfortable...putting money on them wouldn't be a horrible decision...they lost one game where their world was turned upside down by a seemingly hot-and-cold Dayton team.
 

Art Vandelay said:
I agree and disagree.

Agree that being 11-1 is definitely satisfying regardless of Mbakwe's injury. They were going to lose the Dayton game whether he was hurt or not. The only thing more satisfying than 11-1 is 12-0.

However, every game since the Mbakwe injury has been at home vs. inferior and mostly VERY inferior competition. If you expected to lose any of those games, that says a lot. Like Souhan's article a few weeks back - this squad should still be able to beat the Central Michigan's, Virginia Tech's, and USC's of the world AT HOME without Mbakwe.

At the end of the day, this team is 11-1 but has been favored in all 12 games and has not played a single road game. Anything less than 11-1 would be disappointing....
Click to expand...

Right when Mbakwe went down, all we heard is about how the season was over. Va Tech isn't a bad team, I was surprised we beat Va Tech without Trevor, I thought it'd be a decent game with him.
 

THE SCOUT! said:
Gophers might get to NIT if you REALLY think the gophs are big dance material cash out your 401k go to vegas back up your beliefs with $$$$$ investment. Beating chumps at home does not equate to winning half your big ten games
Click to expand...

Weirdest post ever.

So if I happen to think something is the case in sports, I should go to Vegas and bet my life on it? Seems a bit extreme.

Like someone else said, why aren't you in Vegas putting money on them NOT to make the tourney. You sound a whole lot more sure about it than anyone on this thread sounds sure they won't.
 

where are all the unrealistic delusional negative posters now? How about an update on the Gophers RPI now that they are done playing the "little sisters of the poor"
 

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