***OFFICIAL MINNESOTA AT NEBRASKA IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

[cjbfbp]

A difference making guard would go a lonnnnggg way for our club. Main questions:

-Will Johnson be able to get that guy / guys?
-Will Johnson be able to use them appropriately to get the most out of them?

I really can't answer the second question as I don't feel strongly enough even to speculate.

As to the first question, one's answer depends upon one's definition of a "difference maker." My definition would be one who could make "a difference" Doesn't have to be "a huge difference." For example, Johnson would have virtually no chance of getting a difference maker like Marcus Carr and probably not even one like Payton Willis. If he could find someone like a better shooting version of Luke Loewe I think that person could make a significant difference without being a star. I think Cooper could be better next season (on a per minute basis) if he doesn't play as many minutes and another guard helps to shoulder the load.

 

[skiumah1]

I really can't answer the second question as I don't feel strongly enough even to speculate.

As to the first question, one's answer depends upon one's definition of a "difference maker." My definition would be one who could make "a difference" Doesn't have to be "a huge difference." For example, Johnson would have virtually no chance of getting a difference maker like Marcus Carr and probably not even one like Payton Willis. If he could find someone like a better shooting version of Luke Loewe I think that person could make a significant difference without being a star. I think Cooper could be better next season (on a per minute basis) if he doesn't play as many minutes and another guard helps to shoulder the load.

I'm not sure how much more we can get out of Cooper, but yes in a more limited role I'm OK with him.

This might be a stretch, but Deandre Mathieu at his peak turned into a really nice player. I'd really hope to hit on a lower conference guy similar to that. Maybe I am asking too much?

I personally think we need more of a difference maker than a slightly better Loewe. I wouldn't mind adding that type as a 3rd guy out of the portal. I may be shooting too high, we just need more if we're trying to get more than 4 wins.

All depends on what your goals are for this team next year.

 

[cjbfbp]

I'm not sure how much more we can get out of Cooper, but yes in a more limited role I'm OK with him.

This might be a stretch, but Deandre Mathieu at his peak turned into a really nice player. I'd really hope to hit on a lower conference guy similar to that. Maybe I am asking too much?

I personally think we need more of a difference maker than a slightly better Loewe. I wouldn't mind adding that type as a 3rd guy out of the portal. I may be shooting too high, we just need more if we're trying to get more than 4 wins.

All depends on what your goals are for this team next year.

Well, someone like Deandre Mathieu (the junior year version) would be fantastic. We really lucked out on that one. He started slow but really picked up as his first year progressed.

Loewe was a good ball handler with a great motor who was in very good physical shape. He just didn't shoot the ball well enough against this level of defense. I don't think we can get "more" from Cooper but we might be able to get about as much as we get now with fewer minutes and higher efficiency.

 

[skiumah1]

Well, someone like Deandre Mathieu (the junior year version) would be fantastic. We really lucked out on that one. He started slow but really picked up as his first year progressed.

Loewe was a good ball handler with a great motor who was in very good physical shape. He just didn't shoot the ball well enough against this level of defense. I don't think we can get "more" from Cooper but we might be able to get about as much as we get now with fewer minutes and higher efficiency.

Yeah I suppose a Loewe type that can shoot the ball is a solid player. He really struggled to score.

Not really a Big 10 type ball handler though, which we really need.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

I'm not sure how much more we can get out of Cooper, but yes in a more limited role I'm OK with him.

This might be a stretch, but Deandre Mathieu at his peak turned into a really nice player. I'd really hope to hit on a lower conference guy similar to that. Maybe I am asking too much?

I personally think we need more of a difference maker than a slightly better Loewe. I wouldn't mind adding that type as a 3rd guy out of the portal. I may be shooting too high, we just need more if we're trying to get more than 4 wins.

All depends on what your goals are for this team next year.

For the gophers to be good next year I think they’d need Bobby Jackson and Eric Harris circa 1997. And even then probably are a bubble team at best

 

[cjbfbp]

Yeah I suppose a Loewe type that can shoot the ball is a solid player. He really struggled to score.

Not really a Big 10 type ball handler though, which we really need.

My view is that we don't have to get 35 minute per game players to improve. If we had better quality depth Johnson may realize that he shouldn't play someone 35+ minutes in a game if he isn't playing well.

I'd be pretty surprised if we were able to recruit a plug and play Big Ten caliber starter anyway. For example, I think a type like the Nebraska player who torched us yesterday (Sam Griesel) probably would be out of our league. He played four years previously at NDSU and went to Nebraska for his 5th year but Lincoln is his home town. I think P6 coaches realize now that accomplished mid-major players who are very mature can also be successful in power conferences. We have a number of these now in the Big Ten.

 

[skiumah1]

Johnson may realize that he shouldn't play someone 35+ minutes in a game if he isn't playing well

Sign of inexperience as we saw a lot of this from Pitino as well.

 

[Bad Gopher]

A difference making guard would go a lonnnnggg way for our club. Main questions:

-Will Johnson be able to get that guy / guys?
-Will Johnson be able to use them appropriately to get the most out of them?

If Johnson could pull in that kind of guy, he would've got one this year, and he had a lot more to sell this past off season, including Willis' good season. I don't even know how I'd approach a recruit about playing for the Gophers next year.

 

[skiumah1]

If Johnson could pull in that kind of guy, he would've got one this year, and he had a lot more to sell this past off season, including Willis' good season. I don't even know how I'd approach a recruit about playing for the Gophers next year.

I agree with you, but I think Ben was also convinced that Cooper was going to get it done for him. And then he could sprinkle the freshmen in when needed.

I believe he also thought he had a star in Battle.

Seems to fair to say I don't think Ben understands what it takes to get it done in this league or how he's going to get there. At this point, I'd imagine he's just hoping it comes together.

This is the real problem to me and why he should be let go after this year.

 

[cjbfbp]

Sign of inexperience as we saw a lot of this from Pitino as well.

Sign of inexperience AND desperation

 

[Formerswish]

Good post. I think Payne and Garcia would be a well above average 4-5 combo next year. Need the upgrades around those two.

I really like what I saw yesterday in terms of ball movement. Payne is now getting it down low and reversing the ball, getting some real open looks for people. Unfortunately they don't make the shots.

Agreed, the ball movement was way better, and with the spacing they had Payne was able to show his ability to pass cross-court and find open guys, who, as you stated, have a hard time hitting shots. Payne also made a spin move, shot fake, and a score with his left hand for a 3pt play that was pretty impressive. He's in the conversation for best freshman big in the Big Ten-just trying to keep some hope alive here for next year, but it's possible hope just left town with Evans decision.

Two quality guards for next year is what's needed. Can you convince quality guards to come to a team that's won so few Big Ten games the last couple years? Johnson's job may depend on that.

 

[Dakota2]

Agreed, the ball movement was way better, and with the spacing they had Payne was able to show his ability to pass cross-court and find open guys, who, as you stated, have a hard time hitting shots. Payne also made a spin move, shot fake, and a score with his left hand for a 3pt play that was pretty impressive. He's in the conversation for best freshman big in the Big Ten-just trying to keep some hope alive here for next year, but it's possible hope just left town with Evans decision.

Two quality guards for next year is what's needed. Can you convince quality guards to come to a team that's won so few Big Ten games the last couple years? Johnson's job may depend on that.

Few coaches could convince proven quality guards to finish their careers here. What Ben has a chance to do is find a couple of mid-major guys who are poised to emerge as quality players. Still under the radar guys who people will be talking about a year from now like he got last year with Battle and Willis.

 

[bga1]

Agreed, the ball movement was way better, and with the spacing they had Payne was able to show his ability to pass cross-court and find open guys, who, as you stated, have a hard time hitting shots.

This showed me a hint of what Johnson wants to do and it actually looked good. That gives me hope.

Payne also made a spin move, shot fake, and a score with his left hand for a 3pt play that was pretty impressive.

That was a big league play and one he would not have made 10 games ago

He's in the conversation for best freshman big in the Big Ten-just trying to keep some hope alive here for next year, but it's possible hope just left town with Evans decision.

Two quality guards for next year is what's needed. Can you convince quality guards to come to a team that's won so few Big Ten games the last couple years? Johnson's job may depend on that.

For some reason, hope didn't leave town for me with the Evans decision for the short term. I just never felt that Evans was going to be a game changer next year. I have much higher hopes for Christie next year than Evans. Evans was a guy that I thought would help Ben a lot in a couple of years.

Two quality guards for sure. It's possible that Christie is one. If Battle stays, Ben needs to convince him to play within an offense and Battle needs to accept a role.