What I learned tonight (but I already knew)

'Unacceptable'
- I dont think that word means what you think it means -
 

With Curry out, Fitzgerald still shaking off the rust, Dupree recovering, and IW and Harris still learning the ropes, this wasnt a good year for us to start the B1G in early December.

That's too easy of an excuse. Nebraska had 3 contributors from last year's team transfer out. And how many are they breaking in this year? At least 3. ... Copeland, Palmer, Allen.

It's one loss, it's not all doom & gloom, but when the schedulers hand a presumed title contender a Rutgers (H) & Nebraska (A) December start to the season -- the projected bottom two teams -- it's a setback to go 1-1 with that gift. In all likelihood, last night was the Gophers' most winnable conference road game of the season. Opportunity missed.
 

That's too easy of an excuse. Nebraska had 3 contributors from last year's team transfer out. And how many are they breaking in this year? At least 3. ... Copeland, Palmer, Allen.

It's one loss, it's not all doom & gloom, but when the schedulers hand a presumed title contender a Rutgers (H) & Nebraska (A) December start to the season -- the projected bottom two teams -- it's a setback to go 1-1. In all likelihood, last night was the Gophers' most winnable conference road game of the season. Opportunity missed.
Not thinking of it as an 'excuse'. Excuses from a fan mean zero. (As does saying losses are 'unacceptable')

I wasnt able to watch the game, I know little about Nebraska this year - so I was shocked at the loss. But I do know that we have a problem with our bench and I dont think early B1G play has been beneficial for that.
Opportunity lost - for sure, and it appears we were a long way from that opportunity all game. And since this thread regarding collective knowledge appears to be the chance for the clairvoyant on the board to pop up, I will counter that and say I did not see it coming.
 

In all likelihood, last night was the Gophers' most winnable conference road game of the season. Opportunity missed.

If last night was their most winnable conference road game the Gophers have left themselves with no margin of error at home in the conference season.

I think what we saw last night is the Gophers are not one of the top 15 teams in the country.
 

If last night was their most winnable conference road game the Gophers have left themselves with no margin of error at home in the conference season.

I think what we saw last night is the Gophers are not one of the top 15 teams in the country.

Way too early to say Gophers have no margin for error, though I will say I'll be disappointed if the Gophers are worse than 8-1 at home. Split with Sparty/Purdue & win the rest. They'll win some road games, not worried about that. Just pointing out losing your first road game to what might be the worst team in the conference is not optimal.

Agree the Gophers are not one of the top 15 teams. Not with that bench. 25-35ish is about right at this point.
 


I seem to recall basing called, essentially, an idiot for being very concerned after the Miami game.

Let me hear again how that take was terrible.

Ok, you're still an idiot with a terrible take.
 

That's too easy of an excuse. Nebraska had 3 contributors from last year's team transfer out. And how many are they breaking in this year? At least 3. ... Copeland, Palmer, Allen.

It's one loss, it's not all doom & gloom, but when the schedulers hand a presumed title contender a Rutgers (H) & Nebraska (A) December start to the season -- the projected bottom two teams -- it's a setback to go 1-1 with that gift. In all likelihood, last night was the Gophers' most winnable conference road game of the season. Opportunity missed.

100% a missed opportunity to pick up a road win in the conference. Nebraska showed the formula for beating this team, get guys in foul trouble early and force us to rely more heavily on the bench then we would like to. We absolutely should be 2-0 in the conference right now but it is what it is. Coaches should have players full attention now and hopefully we get back on track with the Arkansas game this weekend.
 

How long until losses aren't "teachable moments," anymore, and are things that should carry some weight/consequence? Honest question.

The team/coaching staff can't keep playing the inexperienced card forever. At some point they're just not as good as we thought.
You always have teachable moments no matter how good you are. There are always going to be times where you don't perform optimally. These can be corrected...or you can pout and whine. This staff doesn't strike me as a pout and whine group.
Molinari has been around the block. I would love to have him back at UMN.
 

How long until losses aren't "teachable moments," anymore, and are things that should carry some weight/consequence? Honest question.

The team/coaching staff can't keep playing the inexperienced card forever. At some point they're just not as good as we thought.

Have they been playing the inexperienced card? If they have I have been missing it I guess, seems like that would be tough to do when you start 2 seniors, 2 juniors, and 1 sophomore.

As for not being as good as we thought, last night was a bad loss, but this is also a team that beat Providence on the road and hung right with a very good Miami team while playing without our starting shooting guard. This is a very good Gopher team, not a great team due to the weak bench but this team is a lock to make the tournament and should get a reasonably high seed.

As for games like last night carrying some weight/consequences what do you propose? Should guys be benched? Coaches fired? What are you looking for after one bad loss from a team that is currently 8-2 and ranked in the top 25? Now if we go out and string together a bunch of bad games then maybe you will be onto something but let's not go overboard after one game.
 



Like many, I was about to throw my phone at the TV last night because of the refs in the first half. I haven't seen a more one-sided half of reffing against the Gophers like that in quite some time. That said, you don't deserve to win when you shoot 30% for the game, and let the other team shoot almost 60% in the second half. I'm very disappointed in the loss, but I'm more disappointed in our starting upperclassman. The team played like they didn't care last night, like the victory was going to be handed to them. I cannot believe this veteran starting lineup wasn't ready to play a Big Ten road game. Some of this falls on Pitino (for again getting outcoached by Miles), but most of it falls on those players. They know anything can happen in the Big Ten. This loss makes Saturday a crucial game if they want the chance of a high seed in the NCAA tournament. Really good wins are going to be rare in the conference this year.

It's only one game, but I hope that is the last time this year we see this team play unmotivated, uninspired, and lethargic.
 

Like many, I was about to throw my phone at the TV last night because of the refs in the first half. I haven't seen a more one-sided half of reffing against the Gophers like that in quite some time. That said, you don't deserve to win when you shoot 30% for the game, and let the other team shoot almost 60% in the second half. I'm very disappointed in the loss, but I'm more disappointed in our starting upperclassman. The team played like they didn't care last night, like the victory was going to be handed to them. I cannot believe this veteran starting lineup wasn't ready to play a Big Ten road game. Some of this falls on Pitino (for again getting outcoached by Miles), but most of it falls on those players. They know anything can happen in the Big Ten. This loss makes Saturday a crucial game if they want the chance of a high seed in the NCAA tournament. Really good wins are going to be rare in the conference this year.

It's only one game, but I hope that is the last time this year we see this team play unmotivated, uninspired, and lethargic.
I agree. But it is really hard to be good in every game all year.
Which is why a team of 5 players is going to have consistency issues.

I am starting to think of this team more as a 4-7 seed that can make a run rather than a top 2 seed.
We have the talent to beat anyone in the country. We don’t have the depth to consistently beat every middle of the pack team. At our best we are top 10. When a couple of starters have an off game we can lose to anyone in the top 2/3rd of the country.

Murphy, Mason, Lynch, and Coffey all played below their average level of play last night. McBrayer May have too. If we had depth we could survive that. With no depth, you can’t.
We will probably drop another few games we shouldn’t this year. I was thinking 14-4 or 15-3
I’m now thinking 12-6 or 11-7.
 

But, to be fair, you already knew that.
Tim Miles is an excellent coach, someone I know many people here would have loved to have had here as ours.
With Curry out, Fitzgerald still shaking off the rust, Dupree recovering, and IW and Harris still learning the ropes, this wasnt a good year for us to start the B1G in early December.

I'm a big Miles guy, but I'm also a big Pitino guy. I hope they keep coaching against each other in this league until one chooses to retire.

When I woke up this morning, the wife asked how the game came out, and I described it as when you have a terrible dream where everything is going to hell and you wake up and are thankful that it was just a dream...except that it wasn't a dream. I can't imagine this team ever playing worse than they did last night. Nothing was going right, everything was going wrong, and Nebraska was having one of their better games of the season. I can point to a few different sequences, but the one where Dupree got the steal and then promptly kicked the ball away or the one where Murphy got the rebound and then promptly traveled. These guys are so much better than that, but last night that's what they were.
 

Just curious what makes you such a big Miles fan ? He is a incredibly nice man but his career record defines mediocre.
 



I agree. But it is really hard to be good in every game all year.
Which is why a team of 5 players is going to have consistency issues.

I am starting to think of this team more as a 4-7 seed that can make a run rather than a top 2 seed.
We have the talent to beat anyone in the country. We don’t have the depth to consistently beat every middle of the pack team. At our best we are top 10. When a couple of starters have an off game we can lose to anyone in the top 2/3rd of the country.

Murphy, Mason, Lynch, and Coffey all played below their average level of play last night. McBrayer May have too. If we had depth we could survive that. With no depth, you can’t.
We will probably drop another few games we shouldn’t this year. I was thinking 14-4 or 15-3
I’m now thinking 12-6 or 11-7.

If we go 11-7 in conference, we're going to need at least a couple wins in the B1G tournament to even make the NCAA tournament. Hell, if we lose to Arkansas and go 12-6 in conference, we STILL might need a win or two in the B1G tournament to make the NCAA tournament.
 

If we go 11-7 in conference, we're going to need at least a couple wins in the B1G tournament to even make the NCAA tournament. Hell, if we lose to Arkansas and go 12-6 in conference, we STILL might need a win or two in the B1G tournament to make the NCAA tournament.

This is one of the more ridiculous, hyperbolic statements I've read in awhile. Wow. You think a 12-6 (or even 11-7) BT team has any chance of being left out? Let me get some of whatever you're smoking.
 

This is one of the more ridiculous, hyperbolic statements I've read in awhile. Wow. You think a 12-6 (or even 11-7) BT team has any chance of being left out? Let me get some of whatever you're smoking.

If we lose to Arkansas, go 11-7 in conference and lose our first game in the B1G tournament, our RPI won't be in the top 50. If that happens and we don't beat Michigan State or Purdue, we'll have 2 or 3 top 50 wins. Our resume would look very similar to Houston's last year...who was a 2 seed in NIT. The B1G isn't much better than the Mtn. West at this point. Which is why it's critical for the league to pick up some much needed wins the rest of OOC, but I don't think it'll happen. If we lose at Arkansas we HAVE to be 12-6 in conference to feel safe, and even then nothing is guaranteed if we lose in the first round of the B1G tournament. If we go 23-9(12-6, with a B1G first round loss), we'll be an 11, possibly end up in Dayton.
 

I feel very confident in 13-14 conference wins. Tighten up the defense and all will be well.
 

If we lose to Arkansas, go 11-7 in conference and lose our first game in the B1G tournament, our RPI won't be in the top 50. If that happens and we don't beat Michigan State or Purdue, we'll have 2 or 3 top 50 wins. Our resume would look very similar to Houston's last year...who was a 2 seed in NIT. The B1G isn't much better than the Mtn. West at this point. Which is why it's critical for the league to pick up some much needed wins the rest of OOC, but I don't think it'll happen. If we lose at Arkansas we HAVE to be 12-6 in conference to feel safe, and even then nothing is guaranteed if we lose in the first round of the B1G tournament. If we go 23-9(12-6, with a B1G first round loss), we'll be an 11, possibly end up in Dayton.

Back away from the ledge. A 22-9, 11-7 B1G team that has at least two decent non-conference win is not even on the bubble, let alone missing the tournament. It seems like everyone always massively over-estimates what it takes until the week before, then acts shocked at how bad the bubble teams are. The B1G has not had a great start, but let's not act like we're suddenly the Missouri Valley. Also, while the top of the conference isn't great, if Nebraska is really the worst team in the conference, that says something too.
 

Back away from the ledge. A 22-8, 11-7 B1G team that has at least two decent non-conference win is not even on the bubble, let alone missing the tournament. It seems like everyone always massively over-estimates what it takes until the week before, then acts shocked at how bad the bubble teams are. The B1G has not had a great start, but let's not act like we're suddenly the Missouri Valley. Also, while the # of really good teams is small, if Nebraska is really the worst team in the conference, that says something too.

This team will be find but last night was hard to watch. One surprise for me , beyond what has been covered in depth already, is the lack of leadership. We are going to have off shooting nights and you never know how the refs are going to call a game but I expected Mason and Murphy to pull this team together for a rally. Contrast this to the Rutgers vs MSU game where Rutgers brought the energy , passion and kept that game close until Bridges pulled his teammates together for the W. Mason played hard but I really did not see anybody willing his teammates to win.
 

Back away from the ledge. A 22-9, 11-7 B1G team that has at least two decent non-conference win is not even on the bubble, let alone missing the tournament. It seems like everyone always massively over-estimates what it takes until the week before, then acts shocked at how bad the bubble teams are. The B1G has not had a great start, but let's not act like we're suddenly the Missouri Valley. Also, while the top of the conference isn't great, if Nebraska is really the worst team in the conference, that says something too.

In your scenario we'd have an RPI in the mid 40's, with an SOS of 90. I'm not sure how we'd be anything but on the bubble at that point? No the conference isn't the MVC, but it's only slightly better than the AAC this year and that conference is historically a 3/4 bid league.
 

So we're already on bubble watch after losing one B1G game? Some of you need to get a grip.
 

So we're already on bubble watch after losing one B1G game? Some of you need to get a grip.

Just trying to project forward, not sure what's wrong with that? Obviously if we go like 16-2 in the B1G we won't be. Just trying to be as realistic as possible with the expectations and potential records and what it all means. Arkansas game is very key. B1G missed out on yet another OOC scalp with Wisconsin losing to Temple.
 

Just trying to project forward, not sure what's wrong with that? Obviously if we go like 16-2 in the B1G we won't be. Just trying to be as realistic as possible with the expectations and potential records and what it all means. Arkansas game is very key. B1G missed out on yet another OOC scalp with Wisconsin losing to Temple.

It's the bubble talk that is wrong. Let's wait until the world is falling apart to speculate further.
 

Just curious what makes you such a big Miles fan ? He is a incredibly nice man but his career record defines mediocre.

He's taken teams that were bad and even terrible and turned them around into very good teams. He is also a very good recruiter imo. Not necessarily based on stars since this is the first stop where he has an ability to get higher rated recruits but he has been able to find players that are very talented at every level he has been at. He took a garbage SSU team and turned it into an elite eight team which pretty good in my book if you know anything about the team prior to his arrival in Marshall.


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Just trying to project forward, not sure what's wrong with that? Obviously if we go like 16-2 in the B1G we won't be. Just trying to be as realistic as possible with the expectations and potential records and what it all means. Arkansas game is very key. B1G missed out on yet another OOC scalp with Wisconsin losing to Temple.

Did you hear that Kansas and Florida are discontinuing their basketball programs after tonight's home losses to unranked teams?
 

In your scenario we'd have an RPI in the mid 40's, with an SOS of 90. I'm not sure how we'd be anything but on the bubble at that point? No the conference isn't the MVC, but it's only slightly better than the AAC this year and that conference is historically a 3/4 bid league.

A 22 win B1G team with an RPI in the 40's isn't on the bubble.
 

Did you hear that Kansas and Florida are discontinuing their basketball programs after tonight's home losses to unranked teams?

Kansas is squarely on the bubble. Bill Self may sweat his toupe off.
 

He's taken teams that were bad and even terrible and turned them around into very good teams. He is also a very good recruiter imo. Not necessarily based on stars since this is the first stop where he has an ability to get higher rated recruits but he has been able to find players that are very talented at every level he has been at. He took a garbage SSU team and turned it into an elite eight team which pretty good in my book if you know anything about the team prior to his arrival in Marshall.


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He has not taken a D1 program to even close to a good level. Conference winning % at Nebraska is very poor. He did do a wonderful job at SSU.
 

Pitino needs to use these upcoming non-conference games to get his bench some meaningful minutes. We aren't going to win in the B1G playing 5 guys 35+ minutes. What happens in foul trouble or an injury?
 

It's the bubble talk that is wrong. Let's wait until the world is falling apart to speculate further.

I'm not saying we're a bubble team, I'm just laying out the scenario's in which we could be. The B1G is extremely down this year, getting 11 wins in conference won't mean as much as it did a year ago. If we lose to Arkansas, at that point, I think it would be appropriate to start those conversations.
 




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