Reacting to a heartbreaking loss to Wisconsin & Daniel Oturu's commitment

[GopherLady]

Jamal Abu Shamal and I talked about Mason's shooting slump, Low Motor Murph, Coffey performing, the Gophers alumni group meeting with the players tonight for dinner and much more in this week's podcast. Let me know your thoughts, comments, feedback, or questions you'd like us to address in the next podcast!

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[60's Guy]

You and Jamal do a great job on the podcast. Just don't lose perspective on where we are in the process...we are building. We are young. Those are facts. Wisconsin is so much more experienced and so much more talented. Questioning Pitino on strategy to double the post is silly...the Big Ten's leading 3 point shooter, plus Koenig is not the alternative poison you want. Reggie is not Kareem...he can block shots...he's just not a complete player in many ways. Fouling is what he does....take it away you'll end up with no assets.
We need to make free throws. Mason needs to shoot to his capabilities....he played a great game!!! He just can't shoot right now. Murphy needs to get engaged into the action and contribute. Pitinio has us winning games and losing close with an incomplete, inexperienced group. Like Jamal said, trust the process. Just don't forget it is a process. We are not there by any means as Pitino has said. Washington will make a big difference next year along with a more experienced group to begin the season. If Harris really can shoot...he'll help too.
Mason making shots is the easiest simple fix!! Murphy doing his Dennis Rodman rebounding impression would help. They all can't miss free throws in last minutes of the games (three more wins-they can make a free throw-experience again is the easy answer-but still). Any of those and Pitino is coach of the year, and you aren't asking the other questions.

 

[Bad Gopher]

You and Jamal do a great job on the podcast. Just don't lose perspective on where we are in the process...we are building. We are young. Those are facts. Wisconsin is so much more experienced and so much more talented. Questioning Pitino on strategy to double the post is silly...the Big Ten's leading 3 point shooter, plus Koenig is not the alternative poison you want. Reggie is not Kareem...he can block shots...he's just not a complete player in many ways. Fouling is what he does....take it away you'll end up with no assets.
We need to make free throws. Mason needs to shoot to his capabilities....he played a great game!!! He just can't shoot right now. Murphy needs to get engaged into the action and contribute. Pitinio has us winning games and losing close with an incomplete, inexperienced group. Like Jamal said, trust the process. Just don't forget it is a process. We are not there by any means as Pitino has said. Washington will make a big difference next year along with a more experienced group to begin the season. If Harris really can shoot...he'll help too.
Mason making shots is the easiest simple fix!! Murphy doing his Dennis Rodman rebounding impression would help. They all can't miss free throws in last minutes of the games (three more wins-they can make a free throw-experience again is the easy answer-but still). Any of those and Pitino is coach of the year, and you aren't asking the other questions.

Couldn't have said it better. Hard to win when Nate isn't Nate and Murph isn't Murph. Obviously the "close game" switch didn't magically flip when they won at Purdue. It's a process. Look at the Timberwolves and how long it's taking that young team to learn how to win close games.

The heartbreaking part of the Wisconsin game is how they played so well and made clutch shots and still came up short. Not the same as Penn State: when you score in the teens in the second half, you should lose.

 

[Holf]

Really like these podcasts - I've bumped into Jamal before, really nice guy and a lot of good insight based on his experience. Luxury to have guys like this around who are interested in giving back to the program and helping to mentor these players.

In reference to above comment, what seems even crazier is that we still should have won even without a great performance from Mason and Murph being a non-factor (glad Pitino has rewarded Curry with more minutes, although he doesn't appear to have a choice at this point). It was blow for blow the entire game, both teams playing at a high level, and then suddenly we get down to the 3 minute mark and we have 3 straight possessions without a FG attempt. I'm confident this team will get past those types of lapses, I hope sooner rather than later.

 

[GopherLady]

You and Jamal do a great job on the podcast. Just don't lose perspective on where we are in the process...we are building. We are young. Those are facts. Wisconsin is so much more experienced and so much more talented. Questioning Pitino on strategy to double the post is silly...the Big Ten's leading 3 point shooter, plus Koenig is not the alternative poison you want. Reggie is not Kareem...he can block shots...he's just not a complete player in many ways. Fouling is what he does....take it away you'll end up with no assets.
We need to make free throws. Mason needs to shoot to his capabilities....he played a great game!!! He just can't shoot right now. Murphy needs to get engaged into the action and contribute. Pitinio has us winning games and losing close with an incomplete, inexperienced group. Like Jamal said, trust the process. Just don't forget it is a process. We are not there by any means as Pitino has said. Washington will make a big difference next year along with a more experienced group to begin the season. If Harris really can shoot...he'll help too.
Mason making shots is the easiest simple fix!! Murphy doing his Dennis Rodman rebounding impression would help. They all can't miss free throws in last minutes of the games (three more wins-they can make a free throw-experience again is the easy answer-but still). Any of those and Pitino is coach of the year, and you aren't asking the other questions.

Thanks so much, and for listening! I don't think many casual fans understand a lot of the points you made (or we did).

Really like these podcasts - I've bumped into Jamal before, really nice guy and a lot of good insight based on his experience. Luxury to have guys like this around who are interested in giving back to the program and helping to mentor these players.

In reference to above comment, what seems even crazier is that we still should have won even without a great performance from Mason and Murph being a non-factor (glad Pitino has rewarded Curry with more minutes, although he doesn't appear to have a choice at this point). It was blow for blow the entire game, both teams playing at a high level, and then suddenly we get down to the 3 minute mark and we have 3 straight possessions without a FG attempt. I'm confident this team will get past those types of lapses, I hope sooner rather than later.

I can honestly say that Jamal is one of the only players that never let being a basketball player go to his head. When he was a walk on his freshman year, he was just as nice as when he was starting, and very well known by senior year. Proud of him for starting this program, and he does not for praise (he doesn't even really use social media much) he does it because he's a good person and wants to make an impact on others.

It really is amazing that's a game we still should have/could have won with Mason not shooting well, and Murph and Reggie on the bench. It's nice to have a little depth.