Reading about all of these predictions and seeing the very close line in Vegas (closest by far of all 5/12 games) has me feeling like most people are forgetting just who this Minnesota team is.
This team is 24-9 on the season and of those 9 losses, the Gophers were leading at halftime in SIX of them. This team has played one terrible game in 33 (@Michigan State) and a handful of terrible half's (2nd half's against MSU, Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin immediately come to mind as well as first half's against Ohio State and Michigan). In both cases of poor first half's, the Gophers bounced back to have a legit chance to win the game.
The Gophers are 16th in the country in field goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot an average of 39.8%. The only teams that play in a true power conference to do better? Virginia and Louisville (Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Baylor are basically tied with Minnesota)
I can understand reasons why some would take MTSU to upset the Gophers in round 1...but I've yet to hear one media personality say they like the Gophers as a Sweet 16 team. Nothing in the Gophers resume suggests they won't come in to Milwaukee and play well. They are not dependent on good shooting to win and they are a low turnover team (as is MTSU to their credit). It's one thing to pick an upset it's another to act like the upset wouldn't actually be one.
I am confident (not cocky) that this team won't be leaving Milwaukee until Saturday night.
Go Gophers
This team is 24-9 on the season and of those 9 losses, the Gophers were leading at halftime in SIX of them. This team has played one terrible game in 33 (@Michigan State) and a handful of terrible half's (2nd half's against MSU, Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin immediately come to mind as well as first half's against Ohio State and Michigan). In both cases of poor first half's, the Gophers bounced back to have a legit chance to win the game.
The Gophers are 16th in the country in field goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot an average of 39.8%. The only teams that play in a true power conference to do better? Virginia and Louisville (Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Baylor are basically tied with Minnesota)
I can understand reasons why some would take MTSU to upset the Gophers in round 1...but I've yet to hear one media personality say they like the Gophers as a Sweet 16 team. Nothing in the Gophers resume suggests they won't come in to Milwaukee and play well. They are not dependent on good shooting to win and they are a low turnover team (as is MTSU to their credit). It's one thing to pick an upset it's another to act like the upset wouldn't actually be one.
I am confident (not cocky) that this team won't be leaving Milwaukee until Saturday night.
Go Gophers