Shama: Heres What to Make of U Hoops; former player thinks U can finish 2nd in BT

BleedGopher

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per Shama:

Thud?

The University of Minnesota men’s basketball season hasn’t crashed but the last couple of weeks haven’t been much fun either. Minnesota, undefeated and ranked No. 12 in the country in late November, has lost three of its last five games and at times looked awful.

The now 9-3 Gophers weren’t even that impressive in their most recent win, a 68-67 home victory earlier this week against mediocre and undersized Drake. Oh, how things can change in a hurry.

Did college basketball authority Seth Davis really mention Minnesota as a potential Final Four team? Guess he and others got caught up in the November and even earlier optimism about the Gophers who returned all five starters from last winter’s NCAA Tournament team that had a surprising 11-7 Big Ten record and fourth place finish in the standings. An impressive season for the players and Richard Pitino who was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Also, without going too much into the subtleties of basketball, let’s just say opponents have made adjustments to the Gophers. Lynch, for example, can be a ball-blocking machine near the basket but opponents will make him move away from the hoop to guard another center (perhaps positioned near the free throw line). Murphy is now facing double and triple teams. He can bull his way through gangs of lightweight defenders but when he faces the big boys on top teams he should adjust by passing more to open teammates.

In recent games the Gophers haven’t been moving the ball like they did when things were rolling. In the first half against Miami the Gophers had three assists. In the Arkansas loss Minnesota had 10 assists, the Razorbacks 23.

It’s not just ball movement either. Lynch can’t routinely be in early foul trouble. Minnesota also can’t be letting opposing players get down the floor for easy baskets. There has to be more consistent energy and focus, which can lead to steals and layups for the Gophers.

Right now a team that was supposed to take the next step after last season isn’t the equal of the 2016-2017 edition. But in a 30-plus game schedule teams go through highs and lows, and there’s minimal doubt the Gophers will recover and play better.

A former Gophers player who remains knowledgeable about the program sees the Big Ten as weak. He’s been raving for months that Minnesota could challenge for the championship. Even now he thinks Minnesota can finish second in the league standings to national title contender Michigan State.

He insists the Gophers need to make adjustments and improvements but he’s still on the bandwagon. His attitude provides a little pre-Christmas cheer.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
 

Outside of IW having a good night, the bench is very thin and won't provide much offense. One injury to the starting 5 and we are in deep do-do.

Hope its better but my guess is 9-7.
 





I know it has been a rough few weeks but remember this team lost 5 in a row and was 3-6 in the conference at the end of January last year.

They looked too good the first few weeks to continue to look this bad. I fully expect them to bounce back and think a 2nd place finish is still likely.
 


“A former Gopher player....”. Really, not named? What a rich source. Well, I’ve talked to 17 former Gopher players and they said.......
 

This team is like last year's team without Springs.

Yes, Washington for springs is a straight up trade, but issue is that IW can't shoot.

See - thing is - shooting the long ball is the most important thing in College BB because 3 line is so close (I don't count effort/rebounding as a skill). Springs was our best from long range. Though Dupree had a better 3pt percentage (41%), Springs shot twice as many (38%)

Murphy has hit his ceiling, (unless - you guessed it - he can learn to shoot). Big-boy teams can easily gameplan for & at least neutralize his post threat. You can stop size but it's march harder to stop skill and IQ like Ethan Happ has in abundance.

Mason and Lynch are what they are as seniors. Good but not remotely NBA material.

Coffey has improved a bit from last year bit still a little bit too soft among contact around the hoop. He's shooting a bit better than last year which is nice.

Dupree might be our best 3 point threat, but so far he is only taking about one per game. That's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too few for a guy that shot 41% in 89 three attempts last year.

So - ultimately our downfall will be our inability to shoot - which, of course, did us in against Middle Tenn. last year when Springs went down.
 



This team is like last year's team without Springs.

Yes, Washington for springs is a straight up trade, but issue is that IW can't shoot.

See - thing is - shooting the long ball is the most important thing in College BB because 3 line is so close (I don't count effort/rebounding as a skill). Springs was our best from long range. Though Dupree had a better 3pt percentage (41%), Springs shot twice as many (38%)

Murphy has hit his ceiling, (unless - you guessed it - he can learn to shoot). Big-boy teams can easily gameplan for & at least neutralize his post threat. You can stop size but it's march harder to stop skill and IQ like Ethan Happ has in abundance.

Mason and Lynch are what they are as seniors. Good but not remotely NBA material.

Coffey has improved a bit from last year bit still a little bit too soft among contact around the hoop. He's shooting a bit better than last year which is nice.

Dupree might be our best 3 point threat, but so far he is only taking about one per game. That's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too few for a guy that shot 41% in 89 three attempts last year.

So - ultimately our downfall will be our inability to shoot - which, of course, did us in against Middle Tenn. last year when Springs went down.

This is probably the most fair & accurate analysis I've seen of the 2017-18 Gophers, based on their play to date. I have a hard time disagreeing with anything said here. Am still hoping Washington can be a difference-maker by the time 2nd half of Big 10 season starts. Otherwise, have accepted our bench is what it is (extremely limited).
 


Biggest problem I have is that they don't guard anyone for extended periods of time. Whether they're slow on help-side, being undisciplined by trying to step into passing lanes, getting beat off the dribble or slow rotating to outside shooters, it's now become a pattern. If they don't start focusing on being disciplined on that end of the flloor, their offensive problems won't matter.
 




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