GAME #17: Gophers (13-3, 2-1) @ #4/5 MSU (14-1, 3-0) [BTN, 1/11, 1:15PM]

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MadtownGopher

MadtownGopher

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The first of our 4 game gauntlet. No pressure. A win would be awesome, but a loss won't kill our season. Just hope we come out with good energy and play a good game.

Next 4 games: @MSU, tOSU, @Iowa, Wisconsin
4 games after that: @Neb, NW, @Pur, IU

We should be shooting for at least 4 wins in the next 8.

Final stretch: @Wisc, @NW, Ill, @tOSU, Iowa, @Mich, PSU
 

Beating a top-shelf Big Ten team on the road is key

I look at it this way.

The Gophers are/likely will be in direct competition with Illinois, Indiana, and Purdue for 1 or 2 perhaps 2 NCAA bids. Which one of those four, if any, will be able to notch a road victory vs. any of the upper-tier (Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin)? The Gophers get the first of their five opportunities tomorrow. Beating any of those five on the road almost would feel like two wins in terms of building a tournament resume.
 

If we figure out how to get Harris, Appling, & Payne to foul out, we may have a chance.

50246-soooo-youre-telling-me-theres-P7Ga.jpeg
 


Can the God's just shine on us and give us an off night for Appling and Harris?
 


Gdizzle said:
Payne and Trice may sit for the game tomorrow.
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Izzo said Payne is "extremely questionable" for the game Saturday, despite scoring 18 against tOSU on the same bum ankle. I expect him to play. Trice is sick, but it is just a flu not Mono or anything else serious. I expect him to play as well.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Izzo said Payne is "extremely questionable" for the game Saturday, despite scoring 18 against tOSU on the same bum ankle. I expect him to play. Trice is sick, but it is just a flu not Mono or anything else serious. I expect him to play as well.
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All the MSU folks don't think Trice will play and are thinking they will rest Payne. Interesting to see what happens.
 

Gold Vision said:
All the MSU folks don't think Trice will play and are thinking they will rest Payne. Interesting to see what happens.
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That would be awesome if Izzo decided to "rest" Payne. It would signal to his team that he expects them to roll. Could help lead to a situation where we catch them off guard.
 

I want to see Payne play, he's one of my favorite players in the B1G.
 



At least the game is on Saturday, not Sunday. Not sure why that can't be said.
 


Gold Vision said:
I want to see Payne play, he's one of my favorite players in the B1G.
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I don't understand this. If you are a Gopher fan you should want every advantage possible when facing a top 5 team. It's not like this is the last time you'll ever be able to see him play.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I don't understand this. If you are a Gopher fan you should want every advantage possible when facing a top 5 team. It's not like this is the last time you'll ever be able to see him play.
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Yeah, we definitely don't see eye to eye on a lot of things hoops related. I'd love to see EE dominate Payne, I just like seeing teams at full strength.
 



Gold Vision said:
Yeah, we definitely don't see eye to eye on a lot of things hoops related. I'd love to see EE dominate Payne, I just like seeing teams at full strength.
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I like seeing my teams win and make the postseason. ;)
 

11 Point Vegas Underdogs. Pretty consistent with the computer models.
 

I don't know why, but I kind of like us with the points. Just feeling a #Hollinsanity game I guess.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Izzo said Payne is "extremely questionable" for the game Saturday, despite scoring 18 against tOSU on the same bum ankle. I expect him to play. Trice is sick, but it is just a flu not Mono or anything else serious. I expect him to play as well.
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If Payne had a bum ankle in that game, then I've always had a bum ankle. Another case of Izzo dramatizing his team's injuries to inflate perception of the job he does. Just hope he doesn't browbeat the officials into disregarding the new emphasis on freedom of movement and allowing the Spartans to hack, block and rake the Gophers almost every time they try to drive.
 

OSUfan said:
If Payne had a bum ankle in that game, then I've always had a bum ankle. Another case of Izzo dramatizing his team's injuries to inflate perception of the job he does. Just hope he doesn't browbeat the officials into disregarding the new emphasis on freedom of movement and allowing the Spartans to hack, block and rake the Gophers almost every time they try to drive.
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Payne has plantar fasciitis which tends to not be consistent, but flare up in spurts. Izzo needs to be careful with Payne because only rest will help it. If they keep playing him like the OSU game they will jeopardize his minutes come March.
 

OSUfan said:
If Payne had a bum ankle in that game, then I've always had a bum ankle. Another case of Izzo dramatizing his team's injuries to inflate perception of the job he does. Just hope he doesn't browbeat the officials into disregarding the new emphasis on freedom of movement and allowing the Spartans to hack, block and rake the Gophers almost every time they try to drive.
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I agree the MSU injury excuse is tiresome, though not for the reason you state. No one plays the injury card more than Izzo, but it's not for self promotion. He's simply trying instill confidence in his team by justifying their lousy play. Then come March he can say how "we're finally healthy," which means it's time to play ball. No excuses.

IMO, MSU is clearly the #1 team in the country and Vegas agrees with me. It's easily their best team since 2001. The only weakness I see is their frontcourt depth. After Payne and Costello, they go with a frosh named Shilling. He's an effort player right now, nothing more. Then they have Alex Gauna who is NOT a D1 player (literally). Gauna is that bad.

If Payne plays, MSU wins in a route with their B game, regardless of what UM does. No Payne, then MSU would need their A game if Gophers come to play. Good luck!
 

I love this type of game. Nothing to lose at all. Lay an egg and get pasted and it's a teachable moment to improve from. Play them close and lose and it's encouraging - we can feel like we can play with anyone. Win the game (25-1 shot) and we are on our way to a surprising season.
 

Many computer models have MSU underrated because of the distribution of minutes Izzo employs against lesser teams.

At their best, with optimal lineups, they are insanely good.

The reason to be uneasy about their future, though, is the lack of depth. Big drop off from their top players to their bench. A couple of injuries and they're a different team. Still very good, but not the insanely elite team they are at full strength.

MSU doesn't get to the line much relative to other teams - the Gophers must make the Spartans shoot the ball from the field. A bad afternoon of shooting for MSU, nice eFG% effort from MN via 3FGM's and turnovers kept in reasonable check.. a win is possible. Most of all I think you just want your team to come out and compete well... a loss is acceptable. Getting demolished is not.
 

Sounds like Payne is not going to dress for the game.
 


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tom Izzo says Adreian Payne will not suit up. Travis Trice will but may not play.</p>— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) <a href="https://twitter.com/joerexrode/statuses/422066581783318528">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Really think we can hang with these guys if we come out and play well.
 

SpartyOn said:
I agree the MSU injury excuse is tiresome, though not for the reason you state. No one plays the injury card more than Izzo, but it's not for self promotion. He's simply trying instill confidence in his team by justifying their lousy play. Then come March he can say how "we're finally healthy," which means it's time to play ball. No excuses.

IMO, MSU is clearly the #1 team in the country and Vegas agrees with me. It's easily their best team since 2001. The only weakness I see is their frontcourt depth. After Payne and Costello, they go with a frosh named Shilling. He's an effort player right now, nothing more. Then they have Alex Gauna who is NOT a D1 player (literally). Gauna is that bad.

If Payne plays, MSU wins in a route with their B game, regardless of what UM does. No Payne, then MSU would need their A game if Gophers come to play. Good luck!
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Says the sparty fan lol
 






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