STrib: Gophers step up in weight class with first game vs. power conference team

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

That left Pitino with Tuesday’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup against Boston College (1-3) at home as the only major conference nonleague opponent for the Gophers (4-0) this year, joining four other Big Ten teams that have only one such nonconference game on the schedule this season.

The last time the Gophers had only one major conference opponent in nonconference play was 1992-93.

“How do we find a way with six new players to develop some type of identity during a pandemic?” Pitino said. “Normally that takes time. We don’t have time right now, so we have to figure that out.”

Pitino’s nonconference schedule ranks 219th nationally, according to college basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy. But the Gophers have already been challenged. It took a late three-pointer from Marcus Carr to beat Loyola Marymount 67-64. They trailed North Dakota by 11 points in the first half Friday before rallying for a 76-67 victory.

Gophers step up in weight class with first game vs. power conference team

The last time the Gophers basketball team had only one major conference opponent in nonconference play was 1992-93.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Otis]

This is not a major step up in competition by any means over LMU. BC is one of the bottom feeders of the ACC and we are lucky to have drawn them in the 2020 mess with our team trying to figure out their identity.

That said, they do have better players than we have faced so look for the Gophers to put the best effort yet on display. I'm hoping to see steps forward from Johnson, Robbins and Gach. They need a solid win against a Big 6 team before the Illinois game if only for a confidence aspect. Would love to see Carr and Gach play off each other and dish assists to the rest of the team and each other.

Big guys need to crash and players need to commit to defense with the idea feeding Carr and Gach on the break.

Very excited!

 

[Go Gophs]

I agree. BC won't be any good.

That said, we have struggled against teams that will finish middle of the pack already in mid major conferences. They need to play better, play harder, get it going.