STrib: At the moment, the Gophers really don't really have an identity

per Amelia:

Defense, defense, defense. On Tuesday, Pitino said that defense had become the Gophers "identity" during their stretch of improved play before the Northwestern blowout last Thursday. Wednesday against Michigan, it was the Gophers' defense that buried them. Minnesota failed to close out on shooters, adequately communicate and make the right rotations from the start, when Michigan set the tone by hitting nine three-pointers in the first half. But the second wasn't much better. While the Gophers started attacking the basket and getting much more efficient on offense, defensively they still had plenty of holes, allowing Michigan to shoot an even better percentage from the field in the last 20 minutes. At the moment, the Gophers really don't really have an identity -- one aspect they can rely on when times get tough. That deficit can be a problem when the game is tight down the stretch.

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...ichigan-despite-a-furious-comeback/368421861/

Go Gophers!!

Does lousy shooting constitute an identity?

Scrappy but not talented. For the most part their effort's been have the horses to close it out in winning time. Maybe those guys are on the roster and they'll turn into players and perhaps those type of players will be on campus next fall, but right now they just don't have it. Unfortunately Pitino was right when he made that perfect game comment.

Good things happen when they get the ball into Murphy and drive to the hoop. Bad things happen when they shoot a bunch of 3's.

It has to be defense unless your going to win blue blood recruiting battles. LAST night they gave up 82. MICHIGAN is 48-0 under Belein when scoring 80 or more.

The Gophers identity is they don't have an identity.

Gophers have the longest streak in the Big Ten.

They currently have an identity no one wants.