Gophers men’s basketball team airs frustration in players-led meeting after loss at Wisconsin

[BleedGopher]

Per Marcus:

Ben Johnson emerged exhausted from the locker room more than an hour after the Gophers men’s basketball team lost 80-59 to rival Wisconsin.

The fourth-year Gophers coach had lost his voice, but he didn’t do most of the talking during a players-led discourse that aired concerns about a season threatening to collapse on itself.

“Everybody talked,” Johnson told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “Eventually you air it out and kind of go down the line and you ask guys, ‘All right, what do you think the issue is?’ So, everybody talked. Everybody had a voice. Again, it’s not about the meeting, but the message was more about [how] the performance has to translate.”

The Gophers (8-8, 0-5) are off to their worst Big Ten start since losing the first 13 games of the 2014-15 season under Richard Pitino, but they’re not ready to give up on the season with 15 games remaining in league play, said senior Dawson Garcia.

“We just all have to come to the realization that this is our livelihood,” said Garcia, who had a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. “This is how we’re going to pay our families. Everybody, really. The coaches and the players. It’s got to be taken to that level.”

Gophers men’s basketball team airs frustration in players-led meeting after loss at Wisconsin

After his team lost by 21 points in Madison, coach Ben Johnson let the athletes address the issues from their 0-5 Big Ten start.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[MNVCGUY]

Odd choice of words from Garcia. I mean it certainly applies to him and the coaches but most of these guys are done playing when their eligibility runs out. So they won't be feeding their families through basketball.

But hey....hopefully they figured out how they are able to stick with quality teams in the first half only to get destroyed in the second.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

I thought it was odd too, but I think he is talking about the present and NIL?

 

[Big Dawg]

That meeting signifies the end (of Ben) is coming sooner than many expected.

 

[bga1]

The reality is that they just don't have the talent or the system to succeed. The talent won't change and there is no new system coming on board with 15 games to go. They play hard. They just are not very good.

 

[drewhaus7]

Everybody had a voice huh? Why is it Garcia's the only quote in the article?

 

[formerlybis]

Everybody had a voice huh? Why is it Garcia's the only quote in the article?

Odukale is quoted in the full article,

The first half competitiveness probably had more to do with Wisconsin playing poorly than the Gophers playing well. Water finds its level - the triple-digit ranked MN defense was extremely unlikely to keep the Badgers’ top ten offense shooting at only 32%.

I commend the players for wanting to take responsibility, but it’s not them. Yes, they are facing a talent deficit in most games, but they are getting poor coaching.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

It took until now to be frustrated?

 

[jamiche]

It's really not that much about the coaching. (Not defending Ben.) They have one of the least talented major school rosters I've ever seen. Garcia is pretty good. A fourth or fifth option (or a sixth man) on a top 25 team. There's a good basketball player inside of Asuma somewhere.

That's it.

 

[USAF]

It's really not that much about the coaching. (Not defending Ben.) They have one of the least talented major school rosters I've ever seen. Garcia is pretty good. A fourth or fifth option (or a sixth man) on a top 25 team. There's a good basketball player inside of Asuma somewhere.

That's it.

Which is true, but also ultimately on the coach.
Recruiting is a big part of college basketball.

None of which is to say Johnson can coach. It's been obvious for at least 2 years he can't.

 

[formerlybis]

It's really not that much about the coaching. (Not defending Ben.) They have one of the least talented major school rosters I've ever seen. Garcia is pretty good. A fourth or fifth option (or a sixth man) on a top 25 team. There's a good basketball player inside of Asuma somewhere.

That's it.

Agree to disagree - not about the talent so much, but that coaching matters. It’s all speculation, but if this group were coached by any of the top ten coaches in this conference, it’d look a lot better. They look like a group of disconnected individual players for a reason.

 

[Gold Vision]

Agree to disagree - not about the talent so much, but that coaching matters. It’s all speculation, but if this group were coached by any of the top ten coaches in this conference, it’d look a lot better. They look like a group of disconnected individual players for a reason.

I definitely disagree. This team, outside of Garcia, is a mixture of lightly recruited low to mid major veteran players that were proven to be the second or third options on their previous teams.

That 100% is a reflection on Ben and his staff, but this is not a talented team. Last year’s team had much stronger upside, but Ben lost any positive momentum when they all split for greener pastures.

 

[formerlybis]

I definitely disagree. This team, outside of Garcia, is a mixture of lightly recruited low to mid major veteran players that were proven to be the second or third options on their previous teams.

That 100% is a reflection on Ben and his staff, but this is not a talented team. Last year’s team had much stronger upside, but Ben lost any positive momentum when they all split for greener pastures.

Northwestern’s talent is about equivalent. You can argue that, but it’s not wildly different. They even lost a college-level superstar in Buie, and remain competitive.

Hmm, what lets them do that? I can’t think of anything.

 

[golf]

Does anybody know the actual nil situations of respective universities, or is that just speculation at this point?

 

[howeda7]

It took until now to be frustrated?

Ben's vast experience losing has helped them deal with all of this losing. But I guess even that's reached its limit.

 

[kg21]

The players know, Ben knows, the fans know.

Let's just ride this out and start over.

Nothing can be done now. Just wait it out.

 

[USAF]

Does anybody know the actual nil situations of respective universities, or is that just speculation at this point?

Yes.

 

[golf]

Yes.

Yes it's speculation or yes it's known.
If known, would appreciate if someone could post that info. Thanks

 

[DarthGopher]

The players know, Ben knows, the fans know.

Let's just ride this out and start over.

Nothing can be done now. Just wait it out.

Take things to alleviate the symptoms, but like a cold, The Suck just has to run its course.

Only 56 days, 2 hours, 42 minutes, not that anyone is counting.

 

[NateDawgUM]

Ben's vast experience losing has helped them deal with all of this losing. But I guess even that's reached its limit.

If the Gophers lose out and the UConn women win out (both very plausible scenarios) then Ben Johnson and Geno Auriemma will have the same number of conference losses in their careers.

You may be onto something about experience with losing.

 

[howeda7]

If the Gophers lose out and the UConn women win out (both very plausible scenarios) then Ben Johnson and Geno Auriemma will have the same number of conference losses in their careers.

You may be onto something about experience with losing.

I'm surprised Geno has 20 conference losses total, much less Ben's pending 64.

 

[howeda7]

Yes it's speculation or yes it's known.
If known, would appreciate if someone could post that info. Thanks

Yes.

(There's info but I don't think anyone knows how accurate it is.) The last I saw the Gophers are like 15th out of 18 in the B1G (overall). It's not good, but it's not as awful as some of the "Poor Ben" crowd make it seem. PJ and Coach P seem to manage.

 

[NateDawgUM]

I'm surprised Geno has 20 conference losses total, much less Ben's pending 64.

He lost 26 conference games in his first 3 seasons! 38 since..

 

[Unregistered User]

Northwestern’s talent is about equivalent. You can argue that, but it’s not wildly different. They even lost a college-level superstar in Buie, and remain competitive.

Hmm, what lets them do that? I can’t think of anything.

Garcia - 18.4 pts/game
Mitchell - 11.9
Patterson - 10.4

Martinelli - 19.4 pts/gm
Barnhizer - 19.3
Leach 13.5

Start there

 

[MUgopher32]

It's really not that much about the coaching. (Not defending Ben.) They have one of the least talented major school rosters I've ever seen. Garcia is pretty good. A fourth or fifth option (or a sixth man) on a top 25 team. There's a good basketball player inside of Asuma somewhere.

That's it.

Some would say he'd instantly be Purdues best player

 

[USAF]

Yes it's speculation or yes it's known.

Exactly.

 

[HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving]

If the Gophers lose out and the UConn women win out (both very plausible scenarios) then Ben Johnson and Geno Auriemma will have the same number of conference losses in their careers.

You may be onto something about experience with losing.

I used to hate Geno but his ex players speak so highly of him I have to give him credit (f that, I still hate him)

 

[formerlybis]

Garcia - 18.4 pts/game
Mitchell - 11.9
Patterson - 10.4

Martinelli - 19.4 pts/gm
Barnhizer - 19.3
Leach 13.5

Start there

You're confusing production vs. talent. Collins put those players in a position to develop and produce.

Martinelli had no other P6 offers and flipped his commitment from Elon (the college). Barnhizer was a 3-star. Leach spent 4 years at Fairfield, which is in the same league big Frank came from, and he really only had one good year there. Berry is probably their highest rated guy.

Garcia was highly rated. Odukale was the 2nd rated recruit out of NY state and committed to Pitt out of HS. Asuma is rated fairly high. Fox was D2 POTY. Betts was a fairly high recruit, too,

Collins knows what to do. Ben does not.

 

[howeda7]

He lost 26 conference games in his first 3 seasons! 38 since..

It's easy to forget he's in his 40th season.

 

[bga1]

Odukale is quoted in the full article,

The first half competitiveness probably had more to do with Wisconsin playing poorly than the Gophers playing well. Water finds its level - the triple-digit ranked MN defense was extremely unlikely to keep the Badgers’ top ten offense shooting at only 32%.

I commend the players for wanting to take responsibility, but it’s not them. Yes, they are facing a talent deficit in most games, but they are getting poor coaching.

Not only are they poorly coached, it is a group that is poorly assembled- a mismatched group.
Overall team speed and shooting is terrible

The team is loaded with one dimensional players. A lot of these guys could be good pieces on a more well asembled team. It is just hard to put together 5 guys who can play offense and defense together out of this group.

Garcia- great offense, minimal defense
Frank M - can rebound, nothing else, can't shoot
Edmonds- can rebound and defend some, limited offensively, can't shoot
Betts- lost puppy with some raw ability
Rigsby- see Betts
Odukale- great defense, can't shoot
Asuma- good potential at the point- Ben sticks him in the corner on offense
M Mitchell- he is the closest thing this team has to a two way player
Patterson- inconsistent shooting ball hog, tough kid who lacks some speed and loves to dribble
Cochran- will he ever play here?
Fox- Ultimate hustle guy with no position at this level, athletic but can't shoot
Williams- I don't know if he can defend at this level but can really shoot it