Hope this serves as a wake up call

[EG#9]

Really horrendous performance by the Gophers tonight. Every issue they've had at any time over the past year reared its head in this game. From terrible free throw shooting to embarrassing rebounding and an inability to make uncontested shots. The guards made poor decisions to double team the post and try to close back out on shooters and were unsuccessful doing it.

If this team plays to even 50% of its ability, they are in the title game. Unfortunately, they put in their worst performance in a long time. We've got to make a few uncontested shots to beat anyone, and nobody was capable of doing it tonight.

 

[MRJ]

Agree. I can't honestly say "good game" about any of our guys tonight. Every one of them played terrible. The fact that we only lost by five in this game is laughable. I guess you could spin it and say "with as bad as we were, to only lose by five says a lot." But in this case, it really doesn't. We did everything we could to give this game to Portland and with their hard work and timely three's, the Pilots were more than happy to take it.

Overall, the game was a complete and utter mess from start to finish.

 

[underground629]

Only positive was Nolen's offense. Can't say anything positive for anyone else. Iverson looked pretty good I guess when he got to play, but I guess it was better to leave in Ralph 0 post presence Sampson.

 

[Swede]

Only positive was Nolen's offense. Can't say anything positive for anyone else. Iverson looked pretty good I guess when he got to play, but I guess it was better to leave in Ralph 0 post presence Sampson.

Not to sound like a hater, but Al needs more to his repertoire than driving hard to the basket hoping for a lucky bounce and/or a foul, especially with that free throw shot.

Somebody needs to light a fire under Sampson. The Tim Duncan demeanor only works for Tim Duncan.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Well, I had them losing to Butler, beating Portland, then beating A&M in the consolation game. Either way, they go 2-1, it's just a matter of how you look at the wins or losses. Would you rather beat a top 10team then lose to something called the Portland Pilots...OR lose to a top 10 team, then take of business against something called the Portland Pilots? These 2 games pretty much cancel each other out on the NCAA resume. I'm sorry, but the only Portland team the Gophs should lose to is the Trailblazers. Got to be ready tomorrow for A&M. They aren't bad. They hung with WV and took care of Clemson.

 

[Carlson 79]

We get NOTHING from our offensive sets. We haven't since Tubby's been here, sadly. What we do is try to bludgeon teams with our defense and depth, fouls be damned. But we almost never score off of a 3- or 4-pass sequence. Our offense is almost always a one-on-one move by one of our guys, and that is it. That's why our % is so poor...we do not get open looks off of dribble/pen, or by breaking teams down with rapid & smart passing. Hint, Tubby: the defense cannot run as fast as a pass moves through the air. Improve the spacing, show a ball fake once in awhile, and then beat you man off the dribble if necessary only. Hit the open guy, and "Voiles!". It'll be an open look and likely, a made basket.

The better-coached team won tonight, folks. I'd hate to see them in the NCAA tourney. They laid the blueprint on beating the Gophers tonight. We need a LOT more offensive cohesion (maybe fewer guys see minutes to attain this) and a lot less one-on-one ball.

 

[EG#9]

I don't disagree that production from our half court sets has been (and continues to be) a problem. That said, the Gophers got a ton of open looks tonight and simply didn't knock any of them down. I am not talking just about 3's, but 12=15 footers and shots in the paint as well. Late in the game I noticed that are passing was sloppy in our half court set. A number of passes COULD have set up a wide open 3, but the shooter had to reach for the pass allowing the defense to close out. I would have played Blake more tonight if I was Tubby as he is not a defensive liability against this type of team and his presence on the floor creates more space for the slashers to exploit their one on one matchups.

I'd love to see this team in the NCAA tourney, especially if it was later than the first round. We haven't seen the Gophers play any worse than this, yet they were a Blake Hoffarber 3 away from likely going to overtime.

 

[underground629]

That definitely was the blueprint for beating the Gopher's offense as someone said. Sag off of everyone because we have no shooters, and they all got back on fast breaks.