STrib: Gophers men's basketball team enters Big Ten tournament on the NCAA bubble

BleedGopher

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per Marcus:

In the days leading up to the biggest game of the season against No. 11 Purdue, Richard Pitino did what his Gophers didn’t see coming: He played the part of bracketologist.

His team had been trying to ignore social media and the mock brackets as pressure mounted. With six losses in February, the Gophers were fading from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament picture.

Pitino executed a 180-degree turn that first week of March with his philosophy, telling the Gophers if they wanted to go dancing, they needed to beat the Boilermakers on Senior Night. They rose to the challenge with a 73-69 upset.

Now entering Thursday’s Big Ten tournament opener, Pitino is following bracket projections more comfortably. He says he believes the U is in good shape to receive the program’s second NCAA tournament at-large bid in three years. The Gophers came to Chicago looking to win games, and seventh-seeded Minnesota (19-12, 9-11 Big Ten) starts with No. 10 seed Penn State (14-17, 7-13) in its first game. But even if the Gophers don’t get to 20 wins, Pitino is planning on the NCAAs.

“I guess when I talk about it, it implies almost like we’re good, we don’t want to beat Penn State,” Pitino said. “No, that’s not the case. But every single bracketologist has us as a No. 10 seed. … When you play Penn State, one of the beauties of this league is that’s a Quad 1 opportunity. If you lose it, you’re not going to drop. People don’t understand.”

“I think it will lead to a very long three or four days [for the Gophers if they lost to Penn State],” Lunardi said. “A lot of people would probably be down on them. … I could see them sliding into the Dayton First-Four grouping if they lose. … But the flip of it is, it would be a better win than you think if they do prevail.”

Pitino’s players know what the quadrant system is and what games are most impressive to the selection committee.

“I think it’s important to get this first win against Penn State,” All-Big Ten senior forward Jordan Murphy said. “Obviously, they’re a really good team. That’s a Quad 1 win. That has to be our sole focus right now.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...-ten-tournament-on-the-ncaa-bubble/507122382/

Go Gophers!!
 

A loss today and it's bubble city. Win and they should be confident if they don't advance past Penn State.
 

I don't see how them losing moves them within 4 spots of the cutoff.
Worst I see them is an 11 seed with a loss.
 







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