Gophers entered this season with fresh faces. Now, they’re gelling, and that makes them dangerous

[BleedGopher]

per Jace:

“Hopefully fans are watching safely from home and appreciating this team, because they’re coming together. When you have the second-most new guys in the conference, that might take some time, but they’re very willing to listen and put in the work,” Pitino said. “I truly feel like, now it’s a long journey … (but) I feel like we’re in alignment. Everyone in the locker room is in alignment with the coaching staff. You don’t always get that. But we’ve got to stay the course there, keep believing in each other, keep believing what we’re doing.”

Gophers entered this season with fresh faces. Now, they’re gelling, and that makes them dangerous

A few of college basketball’s traditional elites have experienced some mighty struggles this season.

www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[LongTimeGopher]

When can we stop calling Gabe a sharp-shooter? RP needs to look at replacing him in the starting line-up and bring him in later. He does play great defense. Maybe bring him in as a stopper if a shooter on the other team gets hot. It's getting really old to hear the announcers covering for him and saying his making of a layup might get him off of his slide. It's been over a year of airballs and bricks. Does the team still want him starting and taking those shots?

 

[SonoranGopher1]

If the Gophers lose a couple games in a row, then I agree with Gabe being the sixth man. His shooting was not good last year and even worse this year. Around 28% FG and 18% 3P is a demotion out of the starting line up waiting to happen. If they keep winning, keep Gabe in the starting lineup.

 

[builtbadgers]

When can we stop calling Gabe a sharp-shooter? RP needs to look at replacing him in the starting line-up and bring him in later. He does play great defense. Maybe bring him in as a stopper if a shooter on the other team gets hot. It's getting really old to hear the announcers covering for him and saying his making of a layup might get him off of his slide. It's been over a year of airballs and bricks. Does the team still want him starting and taking those shots?

He does so much more on defense than challenging the shooter. Look at his team positioning. He covers so many intangibles that coaches value.

 

[golf]

Would help if Gabe and Gach picked it up. Somehow we won the last 2 games with each of them stinking on offense, especially Gach.

 

[matt]

I feel like we’re in alignment. Everyone in the locker room is in alignment with the coaching staff. You don’t always get that.

I would like to unpack this a bit. I feel like there might be some interesting history there.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

He does so much more on defense than challenging the shooter. Look at his team positioning. He covers so many intangibles that coaches value.

I agree he does a lot of really good things. I have to start wondering if his shot volume is an issue. We don't want bad shooters taking shots, even if they are open shots. Gabe has been a bad shooter ~60% of his career here. Not saying he can't ever shoot but I have to wonder if maybe he needs to look to make the extra pass more often.

As I type this, I hope he lights up wisco for like 45 points on 15 made threes.

 

[builtbadgers]

I agree he does a lot of really good things. I have to start wondering if his shot volume is an issue. We don't want bad shooters taking shots, even if they are open shots. Gabe has been a bad shooter ~60% of his career here. Not saying he can't ever shoot but I have to wonder if maybe he needs to look to make the extra pass more often.

As I type this, I hope he lights up wisco for like 45 points on 15 made threes.

I am in a small crowd that still thinks he will have nights where he is 4-6.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I am in a small crowd that still thinks he will have nights where he is 4-6.

I agree he may have nights like that but if you have 3 of those per year, and then 20+ 1-8 nights...you're not a good shooter and you're hurting your team by shooting.

The Gophers as a team average 1.35 points per shot attempt, including Gabe.
Gabe averages 1.05 points per shot attempt.
If Gabe averaged what the team does, they score 2.64 more points per game. That matters.

Edited to add key players points per shot, for reference. Gabe has the 2nd most shots on the team, this list is in order of points, where he is 4th.
Carr-1.52
Robbins-1.54
Gach-1.37
Johnson-1.98 (LOL)
Curry-1.51
Mashburn-0.98
Ihnen-0.88
Williams-1.2

 

[builtbadgers]

I agree he may have nights like that but if you have 3 of those per year, and then 20+ 1-8 nights...you're not a good shooter and you're hurting your team by shooting.

The Gophers as a team average 1.35 points per shot attempt, including Gabe.
Gabe averages 1.05 points per shot attempt.
If Gabe averaged what the team does, they score 2.64 more points per game. That matters.

Edited to add key players points per shot, for reference. Gabe has the 2nd most shots on the team, this list is in order of points, where he is 4th.
Carr-1.52
Robbins-1.54
Gach-1.37
Johnson-1.98 (LOL)
Curry-1.51
Mashburn-0.98
Ihnen-0.88
Williams-1.2

I think he will shot 34% from here on out but the rest of his game bring so much value including that can not be measured. Thanks for your numbers. Those are meaningful.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I think he will shot 34% from here on out but the rest of his game bring so much value including that can not be measured. Thanks for your numbers. Those are meaningful.

34% on 3s or overall? Cause both would be an improvement.

Gabe can play 40 minutes if he wants but you can't rely on him (right now) to shoot 3s. I do agree they are meaningful, factors in everything, especially after 10 games for a guy who shoots a fair amount (8.8 attempts per game)

 

[builtbadgers]

34 on threes and if not he has to play a ton. Pitino relies on him.

 

[Unregistered User]

Gabe, shoot to get hot.
Shoot to stay hot.

Shooters shoot.

He‘s goona be starting all year, so I expect y’all to be cheering him on.

 

[Chico Gopher]

I think he will shot 34% from here on out but the rest of his game bring so much value including that can not be measured. Thanks for your numbers. Those are meaningful.

Although Gabe has struggled from 3 this season and last, I'm not sure the extra 6-9 points per game he would provide by going 3 or 4 for 7 instead of 1-7 from 3 would actually make up for the 12-15 points he likely saves per game because of the on-ball and help-side team defense/positioning that he provides at a higher level and more consistently than anybody else. That's an incredibly underrated part of his worth to the Gophers. Add to that, while he certainly makes physical errors, like everybody else, you rarely see him make a mental error on either side of the ball. As was pointed out, there are so many things he does to help his team that there is no official statistic for.

Are there guys on the team "capable" of providing that kind of defensive presence consistently and maybe be a better scoring threat? Maybe. But I would assume if Pitino thought he had that guy who was showing he can consistently do the job on defense (both mentally and physically) and provide better offense, he would see that in practice every day and make the change. Obviously, he hasn't seen that guy yet.

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

Nzqq x

per Jace:

“Hopefully fans are watching safely from home and appreciating this team, because they’re coming together. When you have the second-most new guys in the conference, that might take some time, but they’re very willing to listen and put in the work,” Pitino said. “I truly feel like, now it’s a long journey … (but) I feel like we’re in alignment. Everyone in the locker room is in alignment with the coaching staff. You don’t always get that. But we’ve got to stay the course there, keep believing in each other, keep believing what we’re doing.”

Gophers entered this season with fresh faces. Now, they’re gelling, and that makes them dangerous

A few of college basketball’s traditional elites have experienced some mighty struggles this season.

www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[MplsGopher]

Nzqq x

..... did you accidently grab the hydrocodone bottle instead of the hydroxycholoroquine bottle, again??

 

[Go Gophs]

When can we stop calling Gabe a sharp-shooter? RP needs to look at replacing him in the starting line-up and bring him in later. He does play great defense. Maybe bring him in as a stopper if a shooter on the other team gets hot. It's getting really old to hear the announcers covering for him and saying his making of a layup might get him off of his slide. It's been over a year of airballs and bricks. Does the team still want him starting and taking those shots?

Not so sure he needs to be taken out of the starting lineup. His defense is valuable. He just needs to be told not to take so many shots. Take wide open stuff and take the ball to the basket. One pass shots, hand in face shots, let's be done with them.

 

[Go Gophs]

I am in a small crowd that still thinks he will have nights where he is 4-6.

The problem IMO, is the type of shots he takes. I've seen a fair amount of shots with no ball reversal, guys in his face, etc. Run the offense and if a wide open shot presents itself for him, great take it. Also, when that ball reverses and he gets his hands on it, once in a while he needs to take it to the hoop. Actually, he seems to be doing that a little more frequently lately.

Instead of taking 5-8 shots from 3, lets see 3-4 shots from out there and 2-3 on drives.