Coaches Whose Stock Is Soaring Early in 2014-15 (Richard Pitino, Minnesota)

per Gibbs:

In his second year as the head coach of Minnesota, 32-year-old Richard Pitino—the son of legendary coach Rick Pitino—is beginning to make a name for himself.

This year, the Golden Gophers are off to a strong 8-2 start. One of his losses came in the opening game against his dad's Louisville Cardinals. With an unrelenting coaching style, a humble attitude and a lot of returning talent on his team, Richard has his sights set on the NCAA tournament.

Richard may turn heads because of his famous last name, but it's his dynamic coaching and basketball I.Q. that keeps people looking.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...hose-stock-is-soaring-early-in-2014-15/page/2

Go Gophers!!

Strong 8-2 start? Not sure about that. Basically have done what was expected. Given the schedule, 9-1 or better would be a strong start.

Good start? Yes, I could buy that. Gophers haven't lost to a cream puff, that's definitely a positive in light of goings-on elsewhere.

SelectionSunday said:

Strong 8-2 start? Not sure about that. Basically have done what was expected. Given the schedule, 9-1 or better would be a strong start.

Good start? Yes, I could buy that. Gophers haven't lost to a cream puff, that's definitely a positive in light of goings-on elsewhere.

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Agree with all of this. At this point, our best win is against Georgia, and we are 0-2 against teams that I think have realistic tournament hopes (at least at large hopes, I could see Georgia going on a run in the weak SEC tournament). I am excited about Pitino, but he hasn't done anything this year to make me more excited about him than I was after the NIT last year. As SS points out, he also hasn't lost any embarrassing ones (though the second half collapse in a game that should have been in the bag against St. Johns was pretty miserable), and one of the dangers of playing this many cream puffs is that you give yourself a lot of chances to slip up and have a bad one (an opportunity that many of Pitino's peers have availed themselves of, see Michigan).

Timing of the article is kind of odd, like others have said the record is about what would be expected, they've shown signs they could be pretty good but overall haven't really played that well. I think Lunardi's last out is about right based on performance to this point. We'll have a pretty good idea two weeks into the B1G schedule, 1-3 would not bode well, 2-2 is about what would be expected, a record of 3-1 and it might be time to start getting excited.

jovs said:

Timing of the article is kind of odd, like others have said the record is about what would be expected,

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Empty articles from Bleacher Report are also expected. The team's start this year is a wee bit better than last year, no more and no less, due to beating two power conference teams on the road. I would add that the team does look better than last year at the same time based on the eye test and some statistical measures. We may have only four true scholarship guards, but they are all producing. The center tandem is more consistent. Joey is more established and Buggs is giving the team some decent minutes. Team shooting is better, offensive balance and ball movement are better, and the defense seems better. Only free throw shooting is worse.