What do you hope to see in offseason for Gophers to take the next step for next year?

BleedGopher

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Here is what I hope we see, in order, for us to take the next step and position ourself for at least a second weekend run in the Tournament:

1. Reggie Lynch needs to figure out how to stay on the floor. He averaged 23 minutes per game. There is no reason why he shouldn't be able to average 30-32 minutes per game. He's a complete game changer on defense and his offensive game really developed throughout the year. This has to be priority number one for Reggie and the staff.

2. Find an outside shooting threat. Whether it's Jamir Harris or a spring addition, we need a guy who can come in and consistently hit 3s and extend the offense. I was hoping that Hurt would show flashes of this, but he didn't look interested in touching the ball the last four months.

3. Amir Coffey taking the next step. Whether its a combination of adding more size/strength, improving his jump shot a bit, etc., I expect Coffey to take a big step this offseason, and position himself as an elite player in the conference next year, with an outside goal of going pro after next season. That seems like a stretch right now, but he has an NBA game, amazing body control, and is a very smart player. I expect him to be our best player game in and game out next year (that's not a knock on Mason, Murphy, etc., more of a reflection of the potential I think he has).

4. Curry needs to get mean. He needs more Jordan Murphy in him on both ends. He needs to dunk hard down low and not get "cute" around the basket. We need a bit of nasty in him.

5. Michael Hurt needs to rediscover his confidence. He looked scared from about late December until the end of the season. I am not sure what his potential is at this level, and I recognize he's only a freshman, but I think he and the staff expect him to make a noticeable improvement heading into next season.

The future is bright and the opportunity is there for us to take yet another step forward.

Go Gophers!!
 

1. One big thing I would like to see is our guards have the confidence in passing the ball inside to our big men. There were so many times this year where off the pick & roll our big guys would be wide open, but our guards seemed really hesitant to pass it off. Same goes for when our bigs had their guy sealed. The passing lane was there, we just didn't throw it inside. I actually think Lynch and Curry were both pretty good passers out of the post when they had opportunities, which really opened up our offense and allowed our guards to slash and score. I'd like to see a lot more of that next year.

2. Curry, Dupree, Coffee and Hurt all need to get a lot stronger this off-season. I think it would've been great to RS Hurt to allow him to bulk up, but those other guys' games would be so much better if they had some more muscle, especially Curry.

3. Discipline. So many times this year it seemed like our team, especially Lynch and Curry, were so eager to block a shot that they either had bad fouls or gave up easy second-chance points. I get that Lynch's shot blocking aggressiveness is a double edged sword, but he simply has to be better. Also, our guys have to be able to accept that sometimes we will get beat for lay-ups and it's not worth compounding the mistake by giving them an easy and 1.

4. Hoping that we can get a big man grad transfer to help with death inside. Bless his heart, but Konate ain't gonna cut it in big games.


Overall, I am really, really, excited for the potential this team will have with Washington, Harris and hopefully Fitzgerald next year. Obviously, you never know how things will shake out, especially with how stacked the Big Ten will be next year, but we should have our best team in a long time next year.
 

Here is what I hope we see, in order, for us to take the next step and position ourself for at least a second weekend run in the Tournament:

1. Reggie Lynch needs to figure out how to stay on the floor. He averaged 23 minutes per game. There is no reason why he shouldn't be able to average 30-32 minutes per game. He's a complete game changer on defense and his offensive game really developed throughout the year. This has to be priority number one for Reggie and the staff.

2. Find an outside shooting threat. Whether it's Jamir Harris or a spring addition, we need a guy who can come in and consistently hit 3s and extend the offense. I was hoping that Hurt would show flashes of this, but he didn't look interested in touching the ball the last four months.

3. Amir Coffey taking the next step. Whether its a combination of adding more size/strength, improving his jump shot a bit, etc., I expect Coffey to take a big step this offseason, and position himself as an elite player in the conference next year, with an outside goal of going pro after next season. That seems like a stretch right now, but he has an NBA game, amazing body control, and is a very smart player. I expect him to be our best player game in and game out next year (that's not a knock on Mason, Murphy, etc., more of a reflection of the potential I think he has).

4. Curry needs to get mean. He needs more Jordan Murphy in him on both ends. He needs to dunk hard down low and not get "cute" around the basket. We need a bit of nasty in him.

5. Michael Hurt needs to rediscover his confidence. He looked scared from about late December until the end of the season. I am not sure what his potential is at this level, and I recognize he's only a freshman, but I think he and the staff expect him to make a noticeable improvement heading into next season.

The future is bright and the opportunity is there for us to take yet another step forward.

Go Gophers!!

Great stuff. The only add I would make in terms of current players is McBrayer. He has really high potential. If he can add strength and finish on more of those drives- he can be a great player here.

Of course I cannot wait to see Washington... who may be another outside threat as well.
 

Can't disagree with anything on this list but we need shooters, shooters, shooters. I realize Springs provided much needed leadership but for this team to lose 1 scorer and look so out of sync is ridiculous. Also, the entire team needs improvement on team D as at times we would have these lapses where we were giving up easy baskets. Our adjustments on Offense have to improve as we see mostly man to man but obviously look bad going against a variety of zones. Then again , I am back to my starting point as shooters will bust up most zone defenses. I am looking forward to next season.
 

Too funny, was going to post something very similar to this with many similar takes. Here are my thoughts and additions to what you listed.

1. Lynch did a much better job of staying on the court as the season wore on. An off season to work on his technique and hopefully he can be in the position to make fouling out a rarity next season. Agree that the team needs him to stay on the court as much as possible.

2. Totally agree on this one, need someone to fill the Springs void. Maybe Harris, maybe Dupree but definitely need a guy that can be counted on to drill the clutch 3.

3. Amir's development is key for next year. He needs to fill out some which should happen naturally. I think with some added size and confidence he has a shot to become a true force next year. He showed flashes at times during what was a very nice freshman year but next year this team needs him to become the player we can all see he has the potential to become. Sky is the limit for this kid, hopefully the pieces come together next year.

4. Agree on Curry needing an attitude change but for me it is more of a need to pout less and not be so obvious with his frustration. He throws his hands up and complains every time he gets called for a foul or makes a mistake. He has a lot of talent but he needs to develop a bit more maturity and keep his emotions in check better then he did this year. Should be something that comes naturally and he has a chance to be a really nice player going forward.

5. I would put this one more in relation to the bench as a whole and not just Hurt. Should be significantly more depth next season with the new guys coming in and hopefully Fitzgerald being able to contribute. Overall this team needs more out of the second stringers. Was great for a while when Dupree could be that instant offense off the bench. When Springs went down it destroyed the depth.

Super excited for next season and the potential is there for this to be a great team and one that could definitely win the Big Ten and make a long run in the tournament. It is easy to see a path to that kind of success but obviously being in the Big Ten it won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Still how can you not be excited about the prospect of this lineup and bench:

Lynch
Murphy
Coffey
McBrayer
Mason

Washington
Curry
Harris
Fitzgerald
Hurt
Konate

Baring any major injuries or disasters that is potentially a really strong group if Washington and Harris are anything close to as good as it looks like they will be.
 


Here is what I hope we see, in order, for us to take the next step and position ourself for at least a second weekend run in the Tournament:

1. Reggie Lynch needs to figure out how to stay on the floor. He averaged 23 minutes per game. There is no reason why he shouldn't be able to average 30-32 minutes per game. He's a complete game changer on defense and his offensive game really developed throughout the year. This has to be priority number one for Reggie and the staff.

2. Find an outside shooting threat. Whether it's Jamir Harris or a spring addition, we need a guy who can come in and consistently hit 3s and extend the offense. I was hoping that Hurt would show flashes of this, but he didn't look interested in touching the ball the last four months.

3. Amir Coffey taking the next step. Whether its a combination of adding more size/strength, improving his jump shot a bit, etc., I expect Coffey to take a big step this offseason, and position himself as an elite player in the conference next year, with an outside goal of going pro after next season. That seems like a stretch right now, but he has an NBA game, amazing body control, and is a very smart player. I expect him to be our best player game in and game out next year (that's not a knock on Mason, Murphy, etc., more of a reflection of the potential I think he has).

4. Curry needs to get mean. He needs more Jordan Murphy in him on both ends. He needs to dunk hard down low and not get "cute" around the basket. We need a bit of nasty in him.

5. Michael Hurt needs to rediscover his confidence. He looked scared from about late December until the end of the season. I am not sure what his potential is at this level, and I recognize he's only a freshman, but I think he and the staff expect him to make a noticeable improvement heading into next season.

The future is bright and the opportunity is there for us to take yet another step forward.

Go Gophers!!

1. I would agree this would be really helpful. Reggie's offensive game improved a lot the last month! He can be a real threat offensively if he is on the floor.
2. I got absolutely roasted by everyone on this board, especially by Burns, who dumped on me hard, saying I could not evaluate basketball talent....talking specifically about Michael Hurt. I said Hurt was not going to contribute to the Gophers. It is not his personality to be a shooter or a scorer. He is not quick enough or physical enough to defend people at this level. Can he improve? Sure, but he's never going to be an assassin...not because he can't shoot.
So, I don't see Michael Hurt being the answer. I'd love to be wrong but I'm certainly right so far.
I'm not sold on Harris as a shooter but I'd like to see more than highlights. I think the answer lies within. Mason can be a shooter, McBrayer can be a shooter. Hopefully, McBrayer takes one more leap this summer.
3. I love the way Coffey plays. Glad he is on our team. Coffey is effective. He takes a very long time to get his shot off. That's hard to change. Coffey makes big plays. Coffey steps up in big situations. I don't see the upside that you do beyond that.
4. Curry needs to be consistent. Agreed, he needs to be mentally tougher....maybe nasty but just not a whining spectator. Curry can improve a lot as a shooter...he has a nice stroke. More confidence and he could take a big step as a scorer. I do like his upside.
5. If we do get a grad transfer/juco ...we got 11 guys ahead of Michael Hurt in playing time imo. 10 without. Love to be wrong but I'd say Hurt plays less minutes next year if we have 10 or 11 healthy guys with Fitzgerald, Harris and Washington in addition to Mason, McBrayer, Coffey, Murphy, Lynch and Curry, Konate...that's 10 w/o an additional new guy.
 

I agree with all of your points Bleed, especially the need for Curry to develop a bit of a mean streak. Against Michigan and again today against MTSU, he had a great chance for an "and 1" but went up with finesse and missed the shot. I really like what Curry has shown, but he has failed to really dig in and make the tough physical plays on both ends of the floor which isn't exactly unusual for a freshman. He had a great freshman year and becoming more physical is the next step he needs to take.

I'll try to add some different points so I don't just mirror your post

1. A physical element to our perimeter defense: Neither Mason or McBrayer are very physical on ball defenders which is another area where we missed Springs. If one of these guys can take a step in this are great, if not maybe a transfer could fill this role. One way to keep Lynch out of foul trouble is to have one of our guards be the type of lock down defender that doesn't allow much penetration. We funneled a lot towards Reggie this year, if we could cut off more drives that would help.

2. Shooting, Shooting, Shooting: I absolutely agree that we need to find a big time outside threat, but almost every player on the roster could improve their outside shot. I'd single out this as the most realistic area for Nate Mason to improve. Koening just made 8 3's tonight including 2-3 really tough looks to will Wisconsin to a win while Nate was missing wide open looks earlier in the day. When the team went through it's losing streak a big part of the reason was Nate shooting ~25% from the field during that stretch.

3. The extra pass: This team really looked like it was sharing the ball well prior to going to Wisconsin. They were moving the ball, making the extra pass, and there was also some really impressive big to big passes. For some reason that part of the game really deteriorated in the last 4 games. We got back to more of Nate or Dupree driving and trying to make one pass rather than moving the ball THEN finding a driving lane, THEN making a pass.

4. Jordan Murphy refining his game: Jordan either has to work hard on his 3 point shot or STOP F'ING TAKING THEM. It was really disappointing to see him rise up and take that one in the first half today when the Gophers were still leading. Personally, I'd like to see Jordan forget about the 3 and work on his ball handling which did improve as the year went on. If he can take more guys off the bounce from the short corner/high post it will make him that much tougher of a cover. What we can't afford is to have Jordan spend half the season trying to prove he's a "stretch 4" or a small forward again.

5. The Transfer Market: If there is more than one scholarship available this would be the perfect time to add a transfer big that had to sit out a year. That would be the type of move that keeps this team from preventing a big dip after next season and would keep the (fingers crossed) momentum going.

6. Defend the Barn: This gets overlooked but the Gophers were only 6-3 at home in conference play this year. That might sound "good" to most, but that requires a 4-5 road record just to get to 10-8 in conference play. To be a consistent winner in the conference, we need to get to the point where home losses are rare.

7. Late game execution: I believe in two separate games Nate Mason fouled with the Gophers down one possession and the ability to get the ball back without fouling. Nate also had the foul on the in bounds at Penn State. Then we had the inexplicable turnovers against Michigan in a game that should have been wrapped up. We had the Indiana game where we ended up getting a Springs desperation step back supposedly because some guys didn't know what was being run. We had the Nate Mason fling at the basket to end the Penn State game which Pitino himself said "he didn't know what Nate was doing" and these are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head. The good news is the Gophers were able to win some of their close games this year, but the execution needs to get better to really break through in this area.

8. Maintain your edge: This team showed a lot of fight this season which made them very easy to root for. It's very easy to lose that edge when you are picked to finish higher in the conference or you've already been All B1G first team or B1G defensive player of the year. The truth is the talent on this team isn't overwhelming and teams like PSU and Iowa will be hungry to move up while teams like Indiana and Ohio State will be looking to bounce back. The program as a whole can't feel like its arrived or passed certain programs in the conference hierarchy because of one season. Everyone needs to realize that a fall back in the standings is not only possible, but likely if they don't play with the same level of energy that we saw this season.
 

1. A consistent 3-pt shooter to fill the void left by Springs. We win this game if he plays, IMO. Maybe its Fitz; maybe its Harris; maybe someone else.

2. Curry taking the next (expected) step in his progression. He had a great freshman campaign.

3. Coffey looking for his shot MORE. He shot 40% from 3 after the first 12 games. Had no idea...

4. Isaiah Washington being a legit backup PG next year.

5. Lynch and Murphy making a commitment to play smarter with respect to fouling.
 

1. Find a new reliable 3-pt shooter (Harris? Washington?)
2. Mason improve his jump shot
3. Curry improve his jump shot
4. Murphy improve his jump shot
5. McBrayer improve his jump shot
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Basketball is so complex, but in the end is so simple. Most of the time, you have to be able to shoot the ball. Sure, dunks and layups are great, but what percentage of your shot attempts realistically are layups and dunks? We simply don't have great shooters on our team. We had to win other ways this year. To take the next step, we need to flat out shoot better. In my opinion, Mason has the most work to do. His shot looked broken today.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 



- If you cannot consistently drain the trey bomb with the college three point line, you will not be a top 15 team.

- Turnovers - keep limiting the stupid ones(i.e. dribbling in a pack of 3 defenders at the top of the key).

- Of course, limiting turnovers doesn't do much good if you can't get good shots in the half court set. Be patient and keep improving ball movement/off ball action (i.e. strong side penetration, defense collapse, rotate ball to weak side). Wisconsin or the SA Spurs are always good examples of this.



BONUS (player specific items):

- Curry, Hurt, Coffey: get stronger, get nastier, get a poker chip, woodchip, potato chip, or any kind of chip glued to your shoulder.
 

Here is what I hope we see, in order, for us to take the next step and position ourself for at least a second weekend run in the Tournament:

1. Reggie Lynch needs to figure out how to stay on the floor. He averaged 23 minutes per game. There is no reason why he shouldn't be able to average 30-32 minutes per game. He's a complete game changer on defense and his offensive game really developed throughout the year. This has to be priority number one for Reggie and the staff.

2. Find an outside shooting threat. Whether it's Jamir Harris or a spring addition, we need a guy who can come in and consistently hit 3s and extend the offense. I was hoping that Hurt would show flashes of this, but he didn't look interested in touching the ball the last four months.

3. Amir Coffey taking the next step. Whether its a combination of adding more size/strength, improving his jump shot a bit, etc., I expect Coffey to take a big step this offseason, and position himself as an elite player in the conference next year, with an outside goal of going pro after next season. That seems like a stretch right now, but he has an NBA game, amazing body control, and is a very smart player. I expect him to be our best player game in and game out next year (that's not a knock on Mason, Murphy, etc., more of a reflection of the potential I think he has).

4. Curry needs to get mean. He needs more Jordan Murphy in him on both ends. He needs to dunk hard down low and not get "cute" around the basket. We need a bit of nasty in him.

5. Michael Hurt needs to rediscover his confidence. He looked scared from about late December until the end of the season. I am not sure what his potential is at this level, and I recognize he's only a freshman, but I think he and the staff expect him to make a noticeable improvement heading into next season.

The future is bright and the opportunity is there for us to take yet another step forward.

Go Gophers!!

kinda think you hit on everything!
 

1. A consistent 3-pt shooter to fill the void left by Springs. We win this game if he plays, IMO. Maybe its Fitz; maybe its Harris; maybe someone else.

2. Curry taking the next (expected) step in his progression. He had a great freshman campaign.

3. Coffey looking for his shot MORE. He shot 40% from 3 after the first 12 games. Had no idea...

4. Isaiah Washington being a legit backup PG next year.

5. Lynch and Murphy making a commitment to play smarter with respect to fouling.

I waS SOOOO WRONG ABOUT sPRINGS. i THINK HIS DEFENSE WAS MISSED THE MOST. Gotta love caps lock!
 

Man, I want to see Konate learn how to play basketball. He's shown the ability to have a nice post move every now and then. He's athletic and strong, and he works hard. He just does not know what to do out there. If he somehow figures it out next year, we'll be very solid inside, and won't have to rely on Lynch as much.

I want to see Murphy learn to consistently hit the 12-15 footer. And Curry as well. That opens things up a ton.

We need shooting. I'm confident that Harris will bring it. I think Hurt will be able to bring a little more of that next year. And Mason and McBrayer should be able to improve a bit. Maybe Washington can do something too. But our defense was good this year, and should be just as good next year (even though Springs is a big loss). Our offense needs to improve, and it starts with outside shooting.

I think the biggest thing I want to see us add, and I'm not sure how to do it, is toughness. We were a team of runs this year. When things started to go wrong, they had the potential to go really wrong. Springs was instrumental in keeping us in games, and on track. His leadership was, in retrospect, essential. Can we replace that, internally or externally? I hope so.
 



I can't add anything on the physical front but need to reiterate the desperate need we have for consistent shooters. I think that will require talent infusion (Harris?) and improved shooting from the current roster. I suspect Coffey's percentage will go down next year as he gets more aggressive in taking his shots. I can live with that. He's a great player and needs to take more shots.

The one thing I might add is the need for them to get mentally stronger. Springs is gone and it appeared he was the one who kept the team together in the rough patches. Someone has to pick up that slack. Maybe it's Coffey. Next year is going to be a lot harder than this year. Going from hunter to hunted is not an easy transition, and almost every team in the league will be getting better as we are.
 

1. Lynch needs to learn not to foul.

2. Coffey and McBrayer need to attack defenses like they did yesterday in the second half! Those two were forcing play, drawing fouls and making stuff happen! Very happy with their effort.

3. Need that second PG to spell Mason. His body takes so much punishment when he drives scores and falls to the floor. Need to keep him fresh.

4. These guys all need to put up a 1000 shots a day and improve their outside shots. Not just 3s, but all their jumpers.

5. I'd love to find a grad transfer to either back up Reggie or to be a microwave shooter off the bench. Can't rely on freshmen to fill these roles.
 

One thing I would like to see.........no off-court issues that land the program in the news. (that goes for the football team too - this summer)
 

I think the biggest thing is internal improvement. Washington, Harris and Fitzgerald should provide depth if healthy.
- Shooting has been talked about but this is something that can improve just from work. Coffey, McBrayer and Mason can all become better, more consistent shooters next year. Curry and Murphy can work to at least become threats from deep as well as both have decent looking shots at least
- Offensive gameplan. At times this year we severely underutilized our bigs. Someone mentioned it earlier but we rarely, if ever, fed the bigs on P&Rs even when they were clearly open. That would open up a ton of room. Same with just getting Murph and Lynch more post touches (although both suck at passing out of doubles which may have been why their touches were limited). Also think we need Coffey to be more of the focus. He's the guy that can almost always create a good look and as a soph he's the one that really needs to be our best perimeter player

Honestly that's about it. Our roster has decent talent but we just need to execute better, particularly offensively. Some of the better teams don't have great talent, they have great execution and pieces that fit well.
 

1. Fix Mason's jump shot. Watch his feet when he takes a 3 pointer. I love him as a player, so don't get me wrong.

2. Either get some offense out of Hurt or bench him. Again, not personal. But literally how many shots did he take in Big Ten play? Two?

3. Stop trying to block every single shot.

4. Have as much fun as they did this year.

5. Stay out of trouble.

Great season, guys! Thanks!!! Let's do it again next year.
 

I agree with all of your points Bleed, especially the need for Curry to develop a bit of a mean streak. Against Michigan and again today against MTSU, he had a great chance for an "and 1" but went up with finesse and missed the shot. I really like what Curry has shown, but he has failed to really dig in and make the tough physical plays on both ends of the floor which isn't exactly unusual for a freshman. He had a great freshman year and becoming more physical is the next step he needs to take.

I'll try to add some different points so I don't just mirror your post

1. A physical element to our perimeter defense: Neither Mason or McBrayer are very physical on ball defenders which is another area where we missed Springs. If one of these guys can take a step in this are great, if not maybe a transfer could fill this role. One way to keep Lynch out of foul trouble is to have one of our guards be the type of lock down defender that doesn't allow much penetration. We funneled a lot towards Reggie this year, if we could cut off more drives that would help.

2. Shooting, Shooting, Shooting: I absolutely agree that we need to find a big time outside threat, but almost every player on the roster could improve their outside shot. I'd single out this as the most realistic area for Nate Mason to improve. Koening just made 8 3's tonight including 2-3 really tough looks to will Wisconsin to a win while Nate was missing wide open looks earlier in the day. When the team went through it's losing streak a big part of the reason was Nate shooting ~25% from the field during that stretch.

3. The extra pass: This team really looked like it was sharing the ball well prior to going to Wisconsin. They were moving the ball, making the extra pass, and there was also some really impressive big to big passes. For some reason that part of the game really deteriorated in the last 4 games. We got back to more of Nate or Dupree driving and trying to make one pass rather than moving the ball THEN finding a driving lane, THEN making a pass.

4. Jordan Murphy refining his game: Jordan either has to work hard on his 3 point shot or STOP F'ING TAKING THEM. It was really disappointing to see him rise up and take that one in the first half today when the Gophers were still leading. Personally, I'd like to see Jordan forget about the 3 and work on his ball handling which did improve as the year went on. If he can take more guys off the bounce from the short corner/high post it will make him that much tougher of a cover. What we can't afford is to have Jordan spend half the season trying to prove he's a "stretch 4" or a small forward again.

5. The Transfer Market: If there is more than one scholarship available this would be the perfect time to add a transfer big that had to sit out a year. That would be the type of move that keeps this team from preventing a big dip after next season and would keep the (fingers crossed) momentum going.

6. Defend the Barn: This gets overlooked but the Gophers were only 6-3 at home in conference play this year. That might sound "good" to most, but that requires a 4-5 road record just to get to 10-8 in conference play. To be a consistent winner in the conference, we need to get to the point where home losses are rare.

7. Late game execution: I believe in two separate games Nate Mason fouled with the Gophers down one possession and the ability to get the ball back without fouling. Nate also had the foul on the in bounds at Penn State. Then we had the inexplicable turnovers against Michigan in a game that should have been wrapped up. We had the Indiana game where we ended up getting a Springs desperation step back supposedly because some guys didn't know what was being run. We had the Nate Mason fling at the basket to end the Penn State game which Pitino himself said "he didn't know what Nate was doing" and these are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head. The good news is the Gophers were able to win some of their close games this year, but the execution needs to get better to really break through in this area.

8. Maintain your edge: This team showed a lot of fight this season which made them very easy to root for. It's very easy to lose that edge when you are picked to finish higher in the conference or you've already been All B1G first team or B1G defensive player of the year. The truth is the talent on this team isn't overwhelming and teams like PSU and Iowa will be hungry to move up while teams like Indiana and Ohio State will be looking to bounce back. The program as a whole can't feel like its arrived or passed certain programs in the conference hierarchy because of one season. Everyone needs to realize that a fall back in the standings is not only possible, but likely if they don't play with the same level of energy that we saw this season.

Yes, absolutely. We have guys who can hit outside shots; they just need to improve their percentage and consistency. That can happen, and it needs to happen.

Would be nice to find another godsend graduate transfer like we got this year. A lot to ask for, but shoot for the moon. Can you advertise on Craigslist for one?
 

1. Somehow get a back up for Reggie. Konate is not it. Would be nice if Gas would transfer.
 

1) Curry, Dupree, Coffey and Hurt could all use another 10-15 lbs of muscle. Curry looks like he has made strides since getting here last summer, Dupree put on weight last off season just needs a little more. Coffey and Hurt have the frames to add muscle, I think this would allow Hurt to ba an effective rotation player and strength IMO is the only thing holding Amir back from being a lottery pick.
2) Reggie, Reggie Reggie Reggie cut back on the dumb fouls, got better at it as the year went on, much better at it compared to his Illinois State days (wolf) but I think he could lose 5-10 lbs and that might make him a little quicker and could help cut back on the fouls. (Not saying he's Mo Walker fat, just my two cents)
3)I think Mason, and Dupree have both improved their shooting since arriving on campus, Coffey's a good shooter as well these guys can all continue to get better at their craft, I also think Curry has a nice jumper for a big man that can only get better as well. I would love for Murphy to get to the point where he could at least hit the open three at the top of the key on a semi regular basis. I had no problem with him taking that shot, if it goes in we are up double digits and suddenly the game has a different feel to it.
4) I think Washington will help take the pressure of Mason and who knows there could be stretches where Pitino goes Villanova on the bit and trouts out a Washington, Mason, Coffey, Fitz and Lynch line up to push the tempo. A lot of line up flexibility next year if this team is healthy.
5) Hopefully Harris can give us 5-10 minutes of Charles Thomas type of offense next year.
6) As far as minutes goo I could see the following:
Mason 30-35
Dupree 25-30
Coffey 30-35
Murphy 25-35
Lynch 25-30

Washington 15-20
Harris 5-10
Curry 15-25
Fitz 10-15
Konate 5-10
Hurt 0-5
Gaston and Gilbert will get garbage time along with the walk ons
7) Guys seem to improve and get better under Pitino both during the season and in the off season, it is refreshing to see, with what is coming back and coming into the program next year. Noreason why we can't win 13 or 14 in conference and contend fas well.or a Big Ten title. Looking forward potentially having a top 15 pre season ranking and geting a decent opponent in the ACC challenge, hopefully we keep playing an RPI booster type of schedule. I think that Golden Gopher Classic helped bring some decent teams along with a high major into the barn, it would be nice to get that again, along with the challenge and the game @ Arkansas, plus the game at US Bank stadium. Also like the Sioux Falls game, and I wouldn't mind adding a second road game to the non con either (Gavitt Tip off) or even a decent mid major
 

1. Somehow get a back up for Reggie. Konate is not it. Would be nice if Gas would transfer.

So many great points in this thread!

I think it really boils down to five basic things that have more or less already been mentioned:

1. Overall team 3 point shooting improvement, and less long 2 point shots taken. I expect each player to improve, and for our added depth to be a major benefit for next season.

2. To your point Gopherbbdude, if we have a transfer, adding a backup big would be BIG. Lynch will be Lynch, and our depth is a major concern. Easiest way to address it will be with an experienced center.

3. Pitino. Need to be able to better address opposing pressure, and need to apply more full court pressure (not just token pressure). These are absolute musts, and are ways to change the flow of the game in your favor. Just mixing it in as a surprise element, can shift momentum back in your favor so quickly. We will have the leadership, and experience to execute this next year. And the bench depth.

4. Staying out of trouble on and off the court. No behavioral issues, and no foul trouble. We need the depth, and we need the chemistry that displayed itself this year.

5. A surprise. Who is going to come back and be the go-to player that this team needs down the stretch. I don't think it's Mason. My top candidates for this in order are:
- Amir Coffey
- Dupree McBrayer
- Isaiah Washington (later in the season)
- Jordan Murphy
* All of these players (Washington appears to) have the legs and body control to create space and create shots for themselves.

So excited for next year. This was one of the greatest growth seasons I've ever witnessed. Hats off to this group for sticking together and making some noise. Go get 'em!
 

And just to clarify on Mason, he is the main cog in the machine that gets our offense going, but I don't think he has the same ability as others to create space if it's not already there. Sometimes you need a player to make a play, and I like the others ability to make it happen better.
 

I don't want to echo what everyone else has said on each individual player as I think everyone is spot on with their wishes there.

One thing I personally would like to see comes from Pitino. I would like to see more in game adjustments on defense when teams start getting on big runs (Michigan in the BTT, Maryland at home second half, MTSU in NCAA, etc) or even just to give a different look due to being scouted. With Washington, Harris, Fitz we should have plenty of depth so I don't want to hear that excuse any more. Throw a zone on a team when the pick and role is killing us, throw a press on when a team has young inexperienced guards in, try doing some half court trapping. We have the personnel, athleticism, and depth for this. Our defense was very good this year but there were stretches where other teams had it figured out. Next year instead of continuing to bleed let's try to stop it by just switching things up if even for 3-5 possessions.
 

So many great points in this thread!

I think it really boils down to five basic things that have more or less already been mentioned:

1. Overall team 3 point shooting improvement, and less long 2 point shots taken. I expect each player to improve, and for our added depth to be a major benefit for next season.

2. To your point Gopherbbdude, if we have a transfer, adding a backup big would be BIG. Lynch will be Lynch, and our depth is a major concern. Easiest way to address it will be with an experienced center.

3. Pitino. Need to be able to better address opposing pressure, and need to apply more full court pressure (not just token pressure). These are absolute musts, and are ways to change the flow of the game in your favor. Just mixing it in as a surprise element, can shift momentum back in your favor so quickly. We will have the leadership, and experience to execute this next year. And the bench depth.

4. Staying out of trouble on and off the court. No behavioral issues, and no foul trouble. We need the depth, and we need the chemistry that displayed itself this year.

5. A surprise. Who is going to come back and be the go-to player that this team needs down the stretch. I don't think it's Mason. My top candidates for this in order are:
- Amir Coffey
- Dupree McBrayer
- Isaiah Washington (later in the season)
- Jordan Murphy
* All of these players (Washington appears to) have the legs and body control to create space and create shots for themselves.

So excited for next year. This was one of the greatest growth seasons I've ever witnessed. Hats off to this group for sticking together and making some noise. Go get 'em!

#5 Go to player next year: I'm not so much predicting as saying it could be...to me the possibility is there..sticking with your surprise notion
1 McBrayer
2 Lynch
3 Mason
4 Washington
5 Murphy
6 Curry
7 Coffey...pretty much the only way Coffey can presently score is unguarded 3's or driving into the body of a defender and getting to the line and occasionally a resulting circus shot and one ... I don't really see that changing...so, it's tough to be the go to guy with those skills imo I like him as a player a lot. He is fearless. He contributes a ton. He is our crunch time leader. But if we are looking for Derrick Walton, Koenig like performances I don't know how he's going to get the shots. If he could get them I think he'll make them.
 

And just to clarify on Mason, he is the main cog in the machine that gets our offense going, but I don't think he has the same ability as others to create space if it's not already there. Sometimes you need a player to make a play, and I like the others ability to make it happen better.

I think Mason would be better off as a 25-30 minute player. He doesn't have McBrayer speed- he has to get every ounce out of himself to get past guys like he does and stay with guys on defense. He just has tremendous basketball sense, but I think he gets worn out- partially causing the low shooting percentage (.375) that he has. This is why I am so excited about Washington, I think he allows Mason to become even better at what he does and play within himself- perhaps with a few less minutes.
 

#5 Go to player next year: I'm not so much predicting as saying it could be...to me the possibility is there..sticking with your surprise notion
1 McBrayer
2 Lynch
3 Mason
4 Washington
5 Murphy
6 Curry
7 Coffey...pretty much the only way Coffey can presently score is unguarded 3's or driving into the body of a defender and getting to the line and occasionally a resulting circus shot and one ... I don't really see that changing...so, it's tough to be the go to guy with those skills imo I like him as a player a lot. He is fearless. He contributes a ton. He is our crunch time leader. But if we are looking for Derrick Walton, Koenig like performances I don't know how he's going to get the shots. If he could get them I think he'll make them.

Huh??? Coffey creates his own shot as well as anyone at this point. His release is a bit slow so he's not much of a threat to take a jumper off the bounce but he gets into the lane very well and attacks the basket. With a tighter handle and quicker release he could certainly be a high level shot creator
 

Interesting tweet by Marcus Fuller predicts this starting lineup:

Mason
Coffey
Fitzgerald
Murphy
Lynch


I would assume that Fuller has some insight on how the staff views Fitzgerald's health and ability.

If Fitzgerald has that big of an impact and we get improved back up play at center- this is going to be one deep team.
 

Huh??? Coffey creates his own shot as well as anyone at this point. His release is a bit slow so he's not much of a threat to take a jumper off the bounce but he gets into the lane very well and attacks the basket. With a tighter handle and quicker release he could certainly be a high level shot creator
He really needs to work on his right hand.
 

Outside shooting. That has to be the main thing. We have some good bigs (when they stay out of foul trouble -- Lynch and don't try to take 3 pointers -- Murphy), but we don't have a consistent outside shooter on the roster. Mason is so hot/cold, and McBrayer has an ugly shot that sometimes goes in but not on a consistent basis. Coffey can hit a couple every now and then, but again, not on a consistent basis. If a spot opens up due to a transfer (such as Gilbert) I hope Pitino is all over the grad transfer market for a guy who can shoot from the outside. Doesn't even have to be a starter, but a guy who makes you confident enough that you'd draw up a play to get him a 3-point look late in a game. We desperately need that. Maybe it is Harris, but I'd feel better going into the season if we could find someone with experience.
 




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