Gophers to Face Oklahoma State at Sanford Pentagon

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The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team will meet Oklahoma State in a non-conference neutral-site matchup at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. during the 2015-16 season. The game will be played on Saturday, December 12 and will mark the sixth NCAA Division I matchup at the venue, which opened two years ago.



“We set out to add a marquee opponent in December to test us right before Big Ten play,” said head coach Richard Pitino. “We believe that playing one of the top programs in the Big 12 will certainly get us ready for our conference schedule.”



December’s matchup between the Gophers and Cowboys will be the first in 29 years and the sixth in series history. Last time they met, OSU took a 77-66 victory on December 15, 1986 in Stillwater, Okla. Minnesota leads the all-time series 3-2, with all three victories coming at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.



In the seventh year under head coach Travis Ford, Oklahoma State finished last season 18-14 and earned an NCAA Tournament berth, falling in the round of 64 to Oregon. The Cowboys finished in a tie for sixth place in the Big XII regular-season standings after completing their conference slate with an 8-10 record.



“Travis Ford has done an unbelievable job with Oklahoma State, year in and year out. We know it will be a very good test for us and we are eager for the challenge,” added Pitino.



Located just four hours from the Twin Cities and minutes from the Minnesota state line, the Sanford Pentagon opened in September 2013 with seating for 3,250. The Sanford Pentagon has hosted three NCAA Division I basketball games since its opening, along with a Minnesota Timberwolves preseason exhibition game and other sporting events. It is also home to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the NBA Development League affiliate of the Miami Heat.



“When the Sanford Pentagon approached us about playing a game, we jumped at the opportunity because of past experiences with other teams and how much they have raved about the facility,” said Pitino. “It is run in a first-class way and something we wanted to be a part of.”



The Gophers’ full non-conference schedule will be announced later this summer.



NCAA Division I Games at the Sanford Pentagon

November 8, 2013: Wisconsin vs. St. John’s

November 18, 2014: Wichita State vs. Memphis

November 30, 2014: South Dakota State vs. Florida Gulf Coast

December 13, 2014: UNLV vs. South Dakota

November 19, 2015: Iowa State vs. Colorado

December 12, 2015: Minnesota vs. Oklahoma State
 

My thoughts from another thread

Nice addition to schedule, no question, and the timing (in December) is perfect.

On the flip side, is this neutral-site game (or perhaps series, maybe play in Oklahoma City in 2016?) scheduled in place of a true home-and-home? Would sure hope the Gophers are starting a quality home-and-home with someone this season, whether it starts at home or on the road.
 

My next question

Am assuming it won't be part of the season-ticket package. Will season-ticket holders get first crack at purchasing tickets?
 

SelectionSunday said:
Nice addition to schedule, no question, and the timing (in December) is perfect.

On the flip side, is this neutral-site game (or perhaps series, maybe play in Oklahoma City in 2016?) scheduled in place of a true home-and-home? Would sure hope the Gophers are starting a quality home-and-home with someone this season, whether it starts at home or on the road.
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Exactly! I understand neutral sites like PR and Hawaii...but Sioux Falls. We need a better home NC schedule, one or two decent games would be great.
 



It's days like today I'm glad I'm not a season ticket holder.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

SelectionSunday said:
Am assuming it won't be part of the season-ticket package. Will season-ticket holders get first crack at purchasing tickets?
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Probably the second one. I appreciate them trying to get a better opponent on the schedule, but make it a home and home. This is pretty weak.
 

No one is able to put 2 and 2 together? Or do people just not want the facilities upgrades?
 




Zeppelin Gopher said:
Why don't you share your little theory with the masses instead of acting all snarky about it?
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I'm no expert. But I am assuming the Sanford referenced in the stadiums name is somehow related to Denny? A big Gopher doner? Maybe this event makes him happy?
 

For sure a facilities connection. This sort of thing isn't completely unheard of though either, Wisconsin played St John's in SD last year I believe.
 

Just waiting for someone to be critical of Pitino for playing this game on a pentagon instead of the traditional rectangle court.
 

If you haven't seen pictures, the Pentagon is part of a big sports development in Sioux falls - lots of courts for amateur events and tournaments for basketball and volleyball. The Pentagon is designed to look like a 1950's era gym - think Hoosiers, but with modern amenities.

But- it only seats 3,250 people.

There is another new arena in Sioux Falls - the Sanford Premier Center - that seats about 10,000 or so. Don't ask me why they're playing in the smaller court. I would think they would draw well, including a lot of Gopher fans in SW MN. (for me, about a 90-minute drive....)

And yes, the "Sanford" name is on a LOT of buildings in Sioux Falls.
 



It is nice to see that the gophers have added a worthy opponent to their schedule, but as a season ticket owner I hope that we will have a chance to watch a decent team come to the barn. I am fed up with paying for games against Cardinal Strich college and northwest Eastern kentucky state. I think the gophers should announce the upcoming home schedule before they ask us season ticket holders to renew our season tickets #howdoIgetarefundonmyseasonticketdeposit!
 

I would guess money is involved for the schools. Besides SF is really trying to become a big time city by holding events like this. I know people that attended the event last year and said it was a great event. I believe Witchita St was one of the teams. Also a great chance for us out state (SW Minnesota) folks to see the Gophers with out driving 200 miles. I make the trip to Minneapolis seven times a year for football games and a couple time for basketball which is a 380 mile round trip. So I will be attending the game if at all possible. By the way SF has great places to eat and drink, easy to get around, and cheap if not free parking at the event.

Go Gophers
 

bobmartinfan said:
It is nice to see that the gophers have added a worthy opponent to their schedule, but as a season ticket owner I hope that we will have a chance to watch a decent team come to the barn. I am fed up with paying for games against Cardinal Strich college and northwest Eastern kentucky state. I think the gophers should announce the upcoming home schedule before they ask us season ticket holders to renew our season tickets #howdoIgetarefundonmyseasonticketdeposit!
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The athletic dept has been screwing the season ticket holders for at least fifteen years. They get away with it because we buy the tix out of habit, loyalty and delusion. We are always afraid that the one year we opt out they will get good. Never seems to happen, though.
 

jamiche said:
The athletic dept has been screwing the season ticket holders for at least fifteen years. They get away with it because we buy the tix out of habit, loyalty and delusion. We are always afraid that the one year we opt out they will get good. Never seems to happen, though.
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Or maybe because we're Gopher fans.
 


Curseislifted33 said:
T. Denny must be on board :pig:
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Sanford is indeed paying for the Gophers and Oklahoma St. to come to Sioux Falls. If by some remote chance you want to see the Iowa St. Colorado game in November at the Pentagon, the only tickets available are on the Stub Hub site starting at $199.99 up to $750.00 for single seats only. The wife and I wanted to go just to see how Iowa St. plays under the new coach, but not at those prices. Neither of us can understand why the games are not played at the Premier Center either, as another writer mentioned it holds around 10,000 vs the Pentagon's 3,200 or so. We do know that blocks of tickets have already been allotted to local corporations, companies etc.
 

I understand the frustration from a season ticket holder perspective, but I would definitely take a neutral site game against a real opponent over one more home game against the crap teams we played out of conference last year.
 

Fwiw the Pentagon facility is pretty nice. But it's in the middle of no-where
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
I understand the frustration from a season ticket holder perspective, but I would definitely take a neutral site game against a real opponent over one more home game against the crap teams we played out of conference last year.
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My inclination is the Oklahoma State game in effect is replacing the Louisville game from last year, not one of the raunchy home opponents. I suspect if Richie starts a home and home this year, it will start on the road. Otherwise, Gophers not likely to have a true road game before B1G season.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Am assuming it won't be part of the season-ticket package. Will season-ticket holders get first crack at purchasing tickets?
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I'd be surprised. Maybe a limited #? The Pentagon isn't very big.
 

Jigga said:
Fwiw the Pentagon facility is pretty nice. But it's in the middle of no-where
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It's very nice. Just small. I'd rather they play this at the (Also Sanford) First Premier Center downtown which is 12,000 versus 4-5,000. It's no more in the middle of nowhere than Iowa City or West Lafayette.
 

GopherPop said:
Sanford is indeed paying for the Gophers and Oklahoma St. to come to Sioux Falls. If by some remote chance you want to see the Iowa St. Colorado game in November at the Pentagon, the only tickets available are on the Stub Hub site starting at $199.99 up to $750.00 for single seats only. The wife and I wanted to go just to see how Iowa St. plays under the new coach, but not at those prices. Neither of us can understand why the games are not played at the Premier Center either, as another writer mentioned it holds around 10,000 vs the Pentagon's 3,200 or so. We do know that blocks of tickets have already been allotted to local corporations, companies etc.
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Yikes. That is insane. The Gopher game will likely be a similar range. It really makes no sense why the don't play it in the arena. I guess I'll have to hope we have some of the corporate tickets.
 

Sort of shaking my head at this, but willing to see what becomes of it. If next year a home and home with OS is announced or, maybe better?, a nice donation from Sanford is announced, it's fine. But if this is a one game deal and nothing comes of it, it'll make Top 10 Gopher AD Disasters easily. Can you imagine the adjustment problems of playing on pentagon-shaped court and then going back to The Barn?
 

Mulligan said:
Sort of shaking my head at this, but willing to see what becomes of it. If next year a home and home with OS is announced or, maybe better?, a nice donation from Sanford is announced, it's fine. But if this is a one game deal and nothing comes of it, it'll make Top 10 Gopher AD Disasters easily. Can you imagine the adjustment problems of playing on pentagon-shaped court and then going back to The Barn?
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My sarcasm meter is broken....
 

dtrain19 said:
Just waiting for someone to be critical of Pitino for playing this game on a pentagon instead of the traditional rectangle court.
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Maybe Pitino can one-up Dean Smith and implement a Five Corners offense
 



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