MN has a starting 5 capable of winning the BT & competing for a nat'l title

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Bleacher Report:

1. Richard Pitino, Minnesota

Age: 35

Record: 93-75

2017-18 Outlook: Final Four Potential

What a difference a year makes, right?

Last summer, it looked like Richard Pitino was on his last leg at Minnesota. It was nothing compared to the firestorms his father was dealing with at Louisville, but the younger Pitino had already endured his fair share of minor scandals. It was enough that we had him dead last among Big Ten coaches during that series of power rankings in May 2016.

Then he steered the Golden Gophers to their first NCAA tournament since 2013 and their highest seed (No. 5) since 1997. And this year's team should be the school's best in at least two decades. Just like that, Pitino went straight from sitting on the hot seat to being one of the hottest young coaches in the sport.

Expectations for Minnesota aren't quite as high as they were at the beginning of the offseason, as sophomore big man Eric Curry was lost for the season due to a devastating knee injury. The silver lining—if we can even call it that—is the Gophers have a fair amount of depth in the frontcourt and Curry wasn't projected to be a starter anyway.

If Dupree McBrayer can be a more assertive scorer, if Reggie Lynch can stay out of foul trouble and if Nate Mason can become a little more efficient with his shooting, Minnesota has a starting five capable of winning the Big Ten and competing for a national championship.

Where Pitino would even go from here is anyone's guess, but if things go according to plan for Minnesota this year, he would probably have the right of first refusal in the next ride on the coaching carousel.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ollege-basketball-coaches-to-watch-in-2017-18

Go Gophers!!
 

Let’s not get carried away.

And, I actually don’t see Pitino leaving any time soon, for a number of reasons.
 

Front court depth will hurt us in some games.. hopefully our guards pick up the slack
 

We can, but lots of things have to go right. Here's hoping they do. :drink: I'd be happy if we stay healthy enough to get into the tournament and then pleased if we can at least win the first game. Then we can seriously think about competing for national titles.
 

Decent but not great 3 point shooters, that and front court depth, without those I don't think they are near a final four team
 


jovs said:
Decent but not great 3 point shooters, that and front court depth, without those I don't think they are near a final four team
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I agree with those shortcomings but first get in, win the first game, stay healthy and out of foul trouble, get hot in the right moments (think maybe Purdue) and we are good enough to sneak past people. Best teams don't win quite often in the NCAA. Couple weeks earlier last year...we crush Middle Tennessee...as one example.
 

My first reaction to "national title" was to snap my head back and cock an eyebrow like Dwayne Johnson/ The Rock. Thinking about it a bit, though...why not? Tournament play is all about how you're playing at the end of the year. Come in hot and you have a chance. Happens in hockey all the time. Yale and Providence didn't have the appearance of national championship either. Butler nearly went back to back a few years ago. Is it probable? No. Possible? You bet. After all, every team that makes the big dance is competing for a national championship.
 

We have a very very good starting five, perhaps we've had in quite sometime. Depth is important in getting to March. Depth wins conference titles. But March is won by the starting five. Last year in the NCAA Springs is out, Mason gets hurt and Lynch goes full retard and we're out just like that. When these five are on they're capable of so much.
 

Minnesota paying top 25 in football and basketball for coaching, and new facilities means we're no longer a stepping stone
 




WanderingGopher said:
Let’s not get carried away.
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Agree. How many NBA players do we have on this team? One, maybe two. The final four team from 1996-97 had four: Bobby Jackson, Sam Jacobson, Quincy Lewis and John Thomas. I really like their chances at playing in the Sweet 16 but making it to the national championship is very slim and would require a serious amount of pairing luck in the tournament. I think Vegas has it about right 100:1.
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
Agree. How many NBA players do we have on this team? One, maybe two. The final four team from 1996-97 had four: Bobby Jackson, Sam Jacobson, Quincy Lewis and John Thomas. I really like their chances at playing in the Sweet 16 but making it to the national championship is very slim and would require a serious amount of pairing luck in the tournament. I think Vegas has it about right 100:1.
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Have to count Trevor, too, even though it was just a cup of coffee. 1 NBA game, 5 minutes, 3 rebounds, 5 fouls!

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wintetr01.html

Man, that '97 team was great.

I'd say this team has 2, potentially 3 NBA players who'll at least get a cup of coffee.

Coffey, Lynch. ... maybe Murphy if he can find an "undersized" role somewhere? Not including Jelly because I've never seen him play.
 

Did John Thomas play much in the NBA? Also didn't Winter have a brief appearance?

Not sure the "4 first rounders to make final four" is set in stone the way it used to be.
Butler made it in back to back years with 2.
 



SelectionSunday said:
Have to count Trevor, too, even though it was just a cup of coffee. 1 NBA game, 5 minutes, 3 rebounds, 5 fouls!

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wintetr01.html

Man, that '97 team was great.

I'd say this team has 2, potentially 3 NBA players who'll at least get a cup of coffee.

Coffey, Lynch. ... maybe Murphy if he can find an "undersized" role somewhere? Not including Jelly because I've never seen him play.
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I'm sorry but Lynch is not a NBA player or Murphy. Amir is our only legit NBA prospect & if Jelly is able to prove he can lead a team and defend maybe he can make it by his senior year. Lynch is a senior and hasn't been mentioned by 1 draft pundit yet.
 

march madness said:
Did John Thomas play much in the NBA? Also didn't Winter have a brief appearance?

Not sure the "4 first rounders to make final four" is set in stone the way it used to be.
Butler made it in back to back years with 2.
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Hayward & Shevlin Mack were drafted
 

SelectionSunday said:
Have to count Trevor, too, even though it was just a cup of coffee. 1 NBA game, 5 minutes, 3 rebounds, 5 fouls!

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wintetr01.html

Man, that '97 team was great.

I'd say this team has 2, potentially 3 NBA players who'll at least get a cup of coffee.

Coffey, Lynch. ... maybe Murphy if he can find an "undersized" role somewhere? Not including Jelly because I've never seen him play.
Click to expand...

I think C James could have been an NBA player if he wasn't such a knucklehead. I always thought Eric Harris has a place in the NBA too. His defense was elite, and his scoring improved enough that I thought he had a chance. TWolves could use that type of D right now
 

Coach Pitino is not going anywhere. There is much to do here and he is not sought after by a better program. This team should compete for a conference title. it is time. As for the tournament it is a crapshoot. winning the conference is season long sustained success. The tourney is only a couple of hot games.
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
Agree. How many NBA players do we have on this team? One, maybe two. The final four team from 1996-97 had four: Bobby Jackson, Sam Jacobson, Quincy Lewis and John Thomas. I really like their chances at playing in the Sweet 16 but making it to the national championship is very slim and would require a serious amount of pairing luck in the tournament. I think Vegas has it about right 100:1.
Click to expand...

While obviously helpful, I don't see it as being entirely necessary to have future NBA'ers to win the title. I think it's important to have very good college players, which the Gophers have in their starting 5. The key to whether or not the Gophers can compete for the whole shebang, is probably..... Bakary Konate... gulp.
 

GopherHoopsFan said:
The key to whether or not the Gophers can compete for the whole shebang, is probably..... Bakary Konate... gulp.
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LOL, and you may be right. ~If we can get one or two of Fitz, Harris & Washington to be major impact players by season end we could make a push.
 


Courtney James was a PF, but I looked much shorter than his listed 6-8", and yes he was a knucklehead.
Not sure all those gophers would be first rounders in today's NBA. There are a ton of foreign players now.

Murphy-C James
Lynch- J. Thomas
Coffey-Q. Lewis

I'd take our 3 over these 3. Especially if your talking so Coffey vs so Quincy. Lynch's shot blocking is the best skill of all of them.
 

With a Trey Burke like year and tournament from Mason we could have a chance.

As for the other discussion, Coffey could be drafted in the first round with a big year or 2 and improvement. With a Trey-Burke-like year/tournament Mason could be a 2nd rounder. If Matt Costello can make the spurs than so could Lynch (not saying he will but he could). Murphy also has a chance in an undersized defense/hustle role with a few big years (Not to be drafted but to work way onto a team).
 

There's a decent chance no one on this roster see's the NBA
 

march madness said:
Courtney James was a PF, but I looked much shorter than his listed 6-8", and yes he was a knucklehead.
Not sure all those gophers would be first rounders in today's NBA. There are a ton of foreign players now.

Murphy-C James
Lynch- J. Thomas
Coffey-Q. Lewis

I'd take our 3 over these 3. Especially if your talking so Coffey vs so Quincy. Lynch's shot blocking is the best skill of all of them.
Click to expand...

I don't think you remember how physically dominant James and Thomas were.

Lewis was an elite scorer, especially later in his career.

There's a reason they made it to the FF.
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
LOL, and you may be right. ~If we can get one or two of Fitz, Harris & Washington to be major impact players by season end we could make a push.
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Fitzgerald is the key to this team. If he can adequately replace Curry, we can still reach most of our initial goals. If not, I think we revert to 9-10 B!G wins and chugging malox on SS.
 

howeda7 said:
Fitzgerald is the key to this team. If he can adequately replace Curry, we can still reach most of our initial goals. If not, I think we revert to 9-10 B!G wins and chugging malox on SS.
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Not ready to say Gophers are a bubble team without Fitzgerald contributing, though I agree he's the guy that needs to provide meaningful minutes in Curry's absence. But if Gophers lose any more of the remaining Big 6 (starting 5 + Jelly), then I think we're looking at a .500-ish Big 10 team, like you said.
 

march madness said:
Courtney James was a PF, but I looked much shorter than his listed 6-8", and yes he was a knucklehead.
Not sure all those gophers would be first rounders in today's NBA. There are a ton of foreign players now.

Murphy-C James
Lynch- J. Thomas
Coffey-Q. Lewis

I'd take our 3 over these 3. Especially if your talking so Coffey vs so Quincy. Lynch's shot blocking is the best skill of all of them.
Click to expand...


Confirmed! March Madness is Courtney James!
 

He's right watch those 97 reruns and Courtney James and John Thomas both ate UCLA alive
 

march madness said:
Courtney James was a PF, but I looked much shorter than his listed 6-8", and yes he was a knucklehead.
Not sure all those gophers would be first rounders in today's NBA. There are a ton of foreign players now.

Murphy-C James
Lynch- J. Thomas
Coffey-Q. Lewis

I'd take our 3 over these 3. Especially if your talking so Coffey vs so Quincy. Lynch's shot blocking is the best skill of all of them.
Click to expand...

Quincy came off the bench for the 97 team, so not sure why you’re comparing him to Coffey.

That team was loaded. BJ was B1G player of the year, Harris was an all conf defender, we had 4 eventual 1st rd picks, plus James probably was good enough (only a soph that year) and Winter even made the nba. Charles Thomas was a better shooter than anyone on our current roster.
 

I guess I was noting the similar games of some of the players, I wasn't saying this years team could play with them.

And I was pointing out the need of having 4 first round nba picks to have a final four team isn't as prevalent anymore (butler).

C. thomas shot 28.6% on 3's in '96.

We were 1-12 on 3's against UCLA.

James had 12/6. solid game.
J. Thomas had 7/7 with zero blocks.
Interesting note Bobby J. led our team with 9 rebounds.

I always felt if Clem went small we had a better chance against Kentucky. Kentucky had 14 steals and forced us into 26 turnovers. A healthier Harris would have helped also. We shot 3 for 16 from 3 in that one too. We were a better shooting team from 3 than these two games show, some of that was probably fatigue.
 

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