Preview: Gophers vs. Iowa

It’s hard to believe, but the final home game of the 2004-05 season is upon us. As always, the added emotion of Senior Night will be evident. And this time, for the first time in several seasons, there’s also the extra importance of needing a victory to keep the Gophers’ NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Sounds like a good night to be at The Barn (is there ever a bad one?).

Before getting into the game, it’s time to talk a little bit about the seniors. More so than any other year I can remember, these three seniors are shining examples of what hard work and perseverance can do. They came into the program under the shadow of NCAA sanctions. None came in with any hype, and only one was even offered a scholarship. They played bit roles for most of their careers, but now they’re starters, team leaders, workhorses, and, on more than one occasion, stars. They’re coming off one of those most frustrating and disappointing seasons in history, they’re now in the latter stages of one of the most unexpected and uplifting, and they’re hopefully just a few games from doing the unthinkable – playing in the Big Dance.

Jeff Hagen, Brent Lawson, and Aaron Robinson are truly what college athletics are all about. They’re going to be missed, and they’re also going to be remembered by Gopher fans for many years to come. Make sure those of you at The Barn Wednesday night give them the warm tribute they deserve regardless of the outcome of the game.

Now on to the game. In my preview of the first meeting between these teams, I said that Iowa’s Big Four was “as good as any quartet in the conference.” One thing has changed since then. The most talented of the four, 6’4″ junior Pierre Pierce, is no longer with the program.

That leaves the Hawkeyes with a Big Three. Those three – juniors Greg Brunner (#44) and Jeff Horner (#2) and sophomore Adam Haluska (#1) – are still very formidable, and Brunner and Haluska have really stepped up their games in Pierce’s absence, averaging better than 18 points each. They have plenty of shooters and athletes and hustle guys.

Still, they’re a different team without Pierce. They no longer have a guy who can use his quickness and athleticism to take over a game at both ends of the court at any time. Pierce could do that. He certainly did it to the Gophers, finishing with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in Iowa’s 66-60 victory while also holding Vincent Grier to his only single-digit scoring performance of the season.

The Hawkeyes are just 1-4 in games without Pierce. The difficult schedule is the primary reason for that, and Iowa has actually played quite well against each of the top three teams in the Big Ten standings (Illinois, Michigan State, and Wisconsin), but they haven’t been able to make the plays in crunch time to get a ‘W’. That’s where Pierce is truly missed.

Here are my Gopher Keys of the Game:

1. Guard the Arc. With the departure of Pierce, much of Iowa’s transition and slashing game also left. Haluska is still sneaky-good at getting to the basket (he earned 10 free throw attempts in the first meeting), and Iowa still has some athletes who can run the floor, but their biggest weapon for winning in the road is now the three-point shot. Horner and Haluska can both shoot the rock, and Brunner can even knock some down if you dare him, so the Gopher defenders need to stick to them like glue and not let them heat up at all.

2. Get to the Rim. What Iowa is most lacking, as evidenced by none of the Big Three (or Four) standing taller than 6’7″, is a presence in the paint. That’s where Minnesota needs to attack. Jeff Hagen hurt the Hawkeyes with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 11 trips to the free throw line despite battling the aftereffects of his concussion. 6’11” junior Erek Hansen (#34) fouled out in just 14 minutes and did not show any ability to stop Hagen. Dan Coleman and Spencer Tollackson should also have advantages inside much of the time. And, without Pierce around to smother him, look for Grier to get to the rim much more often than he did down in Iowa City.

3. Pay Tribute. This key is specific to the five Gopher regulars who are not seniors. They need to do whatever it takes to make sure their leaders go out with a ‘W’. You know the seniors are going to give 110 percent, but the emotions of the evening might cause them to play a little tight. The rest of the team needs to be there to pick them up. They need to play with the hustle and determination that these three have shown all season long. Send them out in style.

On paper, the Gophers should win this game. They played the Hawkeyes tough on the road when they had Pierce. Now Iowa comes to Minnesota’s house having dropped 4 of 5 and sitting at just 4-8 in conference play. Still, with their strong nonconference performance, the Hawkeyes also have a decent chance to make The Dance if they win out. They probably need this game even worse than Minnesota does (although the Gophers really, really need it), so expect them to come out swinging. I expect the Gophers to do the same. My prediction: Minnesota 67 Iowa 62.

Talk about the game on our Gopher Basketball message board.