***OFFICIAL MINNESOTA AT PITTSBURGH BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

[BarnBurner]

Thompson's from here, If you get the job on the premise of being able to keep the best athletes home and one of your first moves is to run off a homegrown Freshman ranked in the composite top 175 (100th on Prep Hoops) I don't think that's going to go over well with the top high school coaches and local AAU programs. Different sport, but even Fleck played that game when he got here, he released all of Claeys out of state recruits, but kept all of the Minnesotans and then filled the rest of the class after he was hired.

Composite top 175 and hasn't cracked the floor yet? When Curry and Daniels each have 3 or 4 PF in the first half against a conference foe, then what?

 

[howeda7]

Split with Penn State and Northwestern and wins at home against Rutgers and Maryland

We have 5 games against NW/PSU/Nebraska. I figure we should win at least 2, maybe 3. Then 1-2 other upsets. I wouldn't venture to pick them. We will win a couple games when we are hot from 3.

 

[GopherPete]

Can you give examples of a third tier country or two? I'm wondering if I've ever been to one.

I've heard Grand Forks would fall into this category

 

[ecoperson]

Don't ever consider anyone in the bag until he commits! Before Ogele committed but after Curry "unretired" he had two scholarship roster spots. After Ogele committed, he still had one. Three of the players on this short roster barely play so I don't want to hear anything about how Ben wants to have enough playing time to satisfy all of his players.

And if you continue to talk to me like I'm a 12 year old, then please do us both a favor and put me on ignore. I would be very pleased with that as I find you both smug and tedious.

Bad day? I see nothing offensive or demeaning with this post much like the one in the other thread. As for the 'in the bag' comment, there is only so much time in the day. If you feel like you have someone locked in, you focus your energies elsewhere. If that someone decides at the last moment to go elsewhere, there is no time to remedy the issue.

 

[jamiche]

This is a fair question. Teams with experienced guards are often a "tough out".

I do expect there to be an increase in talent next year and probably a slight decrease in how smart we play. It's just natural with going younger. That said, for me, just the philosophy of the defense and offense is a really good sign. I'd have said this if we were 3-3.

For me, I was stoked the second I saw a bunch of off-ball screens and us not doubling the post. I yelled "thank you" at my computer while watching the first game on BTN +.

Not a chance.

 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

I am more concerned about this team after this game than I was going in. Pitt is HORRIBLE. They are coming off a 10 point home loss to UMBC and they also lost to the Citadel at home....by 15!

The Gopher bigs just cannot play at this level. That was made clear tonight. Major concern that when Ben had to go away from Curry and Daniels that it was the bench player from D3 Ogele who came in to the game instead of Thompson. There was a key play late after a foul where Ogele asked to switched sides with Battle between free throws. Gophers were up 1. The free throw was missed and Ogele doesn't get the rebound. The Panthers get the board and go straight back to the line to take the lead back which they wouldn't relinquish untile Loewe's tip in late.

A new concern this game was Loewe in particular was really uncomfortable handling the ball against high major (sort of) guards. It was a good decision by Ben to put the ball in the hands of Stephens on that last possession as the lack of foot speed from the other Gopher players seemed like a bigger issue than I anticipated.

Marquette and Iowa State are both currently winning games against better competition while playing a bunch of guys with eligibility beyond this year that were not on those teams last year. We're winning games (which is great!), but against lesser competition and playing one guy who with eligibility beyond this year. Once we stop winning games...things will get real bleak.

Those are all relevant concerns, but there were many posters on here predicting 5 or less wins all season, so I choose to enjoy the wins and look forward to the future. Ben and Thorson clearly know how to coach and when the talent gets here, I'm excited to see the results.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Not a chance.

Unfortunately for you, I've said the exact same thing numerous times leading up to the season (see below).

Fortunately for you, you've had an entire life of getting used to being the dumbest person in the room.

You are one of those types of people who goes into a blind rage when anyone disagrees with anything outside of their narrative. Because I didn't like WHY Ben got hired, you conflated that with hating on Ben. It's not your fault though, any chance you had of understanding went out the window when you were in the midst of your hissy fit.

PROOF:

April of 2021:

April of 2021:



May of 2021:


October of 2021:

October 2021:

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Gophers next opponent, Mississippi State takes on Lamar tomorrow. Shouldn't be any problem for them. At home against a team with 6 straight losses. Bulldogs will almost assuredly be 6-1, with their only loss being Louisville. Last two games they went a little bigger replacing 6' 7" Cameron Matthews with 6' 10" Tolu Smith in the starting lineup. (Matthews still gets his minutes.) So they will be 6'10", 6'10", 6'7" and 6"3", 6'1" All five starters average double figures in scoring. Eleven players averaging 10 or more minutes per game.
Ben Howland with 26 years as a head coach. Stops at Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh, UCLA and of course Mississippi State. Three consecutive times in the Final Four with UCLA
Going to be, without a doubt, the toughest match up thus far.

 

[jamiche]

Unfortunately for you, I've said the exact same thing numerous times leading up to the season (see below).

Fortunately for you, you've had an entire life of getting used to being the dumbest person in the room.

You are one of those types of people who goes into a blind rage when anyone disagrees with anything outside of their narrative. Because I didn't like WHY Ben got hired, you conflated that with hating on Ben. It's not your fault though, any chance you had of understanding went out the window when you were in the midst of your hissy fit.

PROOF:

April of 2021:
View attachment 15695
April of 2021:
View attachment 15700


May of 2021:
View attachment 15697

October of 2021:
View attachment 15698
October 2021:
View attachment 15699

The reason you'd be upside down over a 3-3 record is that you over react to everything.

Cherry picking a few of your own posts where you talked about "Barrister's Basketball Philosophy" after criticizing the hire means nothing.

Keep trying.