Official 2014 Lunardi Bracketology Thread: Dec 16th edition

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Didn't want to start a new thread for this, so I'm going to bring it up in here. During the IU/Notre Dame game, did anyone else see Dan Dakich mention Minnesota as a top 5 team in the conference this year? That is the first national/ESPN commentator to really jump on the Minnesota bandwagon this year. I admittedly think Dakich is among the worst college basketball analysts, but I'll take some ESPN love during a non-Gopher game.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Didn't want to start a new thread for this, so I'm going to bring it up in here. During the IU/Notre Dame game, did anyone else see Dan Dakich mention Minnesota as a top 5 team in the conference this year? That is the first national/ESPN commentator to really jump on the Minnesota bandwagon this year. I admittedly think Dakich is among the worst college basketball analysts, but I'll take some ESPN love during a non-Gopher game.
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I saw that. It triggered a memory from last year when I was watching a game around the start of the B1G season when Dakich gave his Top 5......the Gophers were in it and Michigan was not. That didn't turn out so well.
 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought two Big Ten teams can't be in the same half of a region. Minnesota and Wisconsin could play each other in the Sweet 16 with this bracket.
 



One good thing is that Andy Katz isn't giving us any love...I can recall two particular seasons where he was, and things didn't go so well.
 

mplarson7 said:
One good thing is that Andy Katz isn't giving us any love...I can recall two particular seasons where he was, and things didn't go so well.
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He's a big Tubby fan so I don't think we'll be getting any love from him for a while.
 


Good to see. It gives some hope that 9-9 in the B1G may indeed be good enough to get in.
 



bemidjigopher said:
Crazy us Arkansas and FSU are all 11 seeds
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I think they're both right at our level and we would beat Arkansas if we played them again. That was just one awful 10 minute strectch of basketball.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Didn't want to start a new thread for this, so I'm going to bring it up in here. During the IU/Notre Dame game, did anyone else see Dan Dakich mention Minnesota as a top 5 team in the conference this year? That is the first national/ESPN commentator to really jump on the Minnesota bandwagon this year. I admittedly think Dakich is among the worst college basketball analysts, but I'll take some ESPN love during a non-Gopher game.
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I saw this, and thought it was very interesting. I see our team as a well coached fun group to watch that is terribly out classed in the size and talent department, but will sneak up on teams with our conditioning and game play style. Didn't think I'd see any national analyst give us any credibility yet.
 

interesting thought as well, Lunardi doesn't even have us as a "last 4 in" team either.
 

I like Dakich, but yesterday he didn't include us in his weekly Big Ten top 5 on Twitter. He sure knows Iowa fans well though!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Ironic #5 Mich..ironic cuz Cloughtery delivered 89 NCAA title 2 Mich w a ridiculous late call sending current inmate Rumeal Robinson 2 line</p>— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) <a href="https://twitter.com/dandakich/statuses/412418312014807042">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>#4.. Iowa..despite having the countries most sensitive fans..the Hawks are tough and beauty is they will get tougher..gotta learn frm Ia St</p>— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) <a href="https://twitter.com/dandakich/statuses/412419423484379137">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>#3 MIch St..while Nat'l Boyz r drooling I've been warning..this team doesn't score easy enough YET..Harris out not helping..close w Oakland</p>— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) <a href="https://twitter.com/dandakich/statuses/412420100625416192">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>#2 OSU..rolling along..blasted a decent Bryant team that has a terrific coach n Tim O'Shea..can't wait to call Bucks v ND this Sat in NYC</p>— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) <a href="https://twitter.com/dandakich/statuses/412420929042403328">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>#1 Wisky..remember the name Nigel Hayes..big for outta Toledo will impact at some pt n B10.. Just had 17 v EKentucky..big strong tough..</p>— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) <a href="https://twitter.com/dandakich/statuses/412422051098394624">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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I honestly think the Gophers make the dance this year. I think we can beat anyone in the Big Ten save maybe Michigan St or Ohio St. Heck Oakland almost beat Mich St the other night.

On the other end of the spectrum is I think anyone in the Big Ten can beat us as well. Take care of the games we should win (Penn St x2, Northwestern x2, Nebraska, Purdue at home, etc.) along with a few games we are not favored in and I can't see us being passed over.
 

tmvander said:
I honestly think the Gophers make the dance this year. I think we can beat anyone in the Big Ten save maybe Michigan St or Ohio St. Heck Oakland almost beat Mich St the other night.

On the other end of the spectrum is I think anyone in the Big Ten can beat us as well. Take care of the games we should win (Penn St x2, Northwestern x2, Nebraska, Purdue at home, etc.) along with a few games we are not favored in and I can't see us being passed over.
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Penn State are definetly not going to be pushovers with Frazier and Newbill. If Marshall would have stayed they would have had one of the best backcourts in the country. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull off a couple big upsets in conference play.
 

tmvander said:
I honestly think the Gophers make the dance this year. I think we can beat anyone in the Big Ten save maybe Michigan St or Ohio St. Heck Oakland almost beat Mich St the other night.

On the other end of the spectrum is I think anyone in the Big Ten can beat us as well. Take care of the games we should win (Penn St x2, Northwestern x2, Nebraska, Purdue at home, etc.) along with a few games we are not favored in and I can't see us being passed over.
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Michingan St didn't have Gary Harris in the game I think...
 

DeathClutch said:
Penn State are definetly not going to be pushovers with Frazier and Newbill. If Marshall would have stayed they would have had one of the best backcourts in the country. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull off a couple big upsets in conference play.
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Totally agree that nobody will be a pushover as this is the Big Ten but they should definitely be games the Gophers should win.
 

Penn State won't be a gimme' for Gophers, home or road. Very possible Nitts will be the favorite when the teams meet Jan. 8 in Happy (but nobody cares about the basketball team) Valley. If I could pick one team among the Big Ten's perceived "bottom 3" (Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State) that will surprise us this year, it'd be Penn State. Like what I've seen this year, the blown 20-point lead to Princeton notwithstanding.
 

God I am so mad we missed out on Nigel Hayes, sickens me that he picked the sconnies, worst possible outcome for that situation, He was very much underrated out of high school, He was at the bottom end of ESPN100.
 

GuyFawkes said:
God I am so mad we missed out on Nigel Hayes, sickens me that he picked the sconnies, worst possible outcome for that situation, He was very much underrated out of high school, He was at the bottom end of ESPN100.
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Seriously? I mean, honestly he's part of the perpetual Bo Ryan flaws in terms of size/length/athleticism that keeps them from getting to the F4, because he's playing inside at 6'6" and that's not going to fly against the better teams in college basketball. Going to be exploited in the tourney if he's out there.
 

SelectionSunday said:
If I could pick one team among the Big Ten's perceived "bottom 3" (Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State) that will surprise us this year, it'd be Penn State. Like what I've seen this year, the blown 20-point lead to Princeton notwithstanding.
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Nah, it will be Nebraska
 

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