#9 Gophers vs #8 Spartans Thursday at 11am

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topos said:
Izzo has been begging his senior leaders to show consistency all year, and it has yet to happen. With a loss, Michigan State will likely be out of the tournament and break its 25-year streak. That's a lot of pressure.

If we're locked in and engaged early, I could see Sparty crumbling late. I would much rather play MSU than Indiana, Ohio State, or Iowa.
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Based on how the Gophers have played lately, "locked in early" is unlikely to happen. We fall behind double digits in the first half of nearly every game.
 

howeda7 said:
Based on how the Gophers have played lately, "locked in early" is unlikely to happen. We fall behind double digits in the first half of nearly every game.
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And that becomes disaster in slowed down conservative post season play.
 

These things work both ways. The Gophers aren't the only team struggling. Michigan State has been an inconsistent & frustrating offensively challenged mess (save for Walker & Hall) for most of the Big Ten season. They get nothing out of the post, and they never know which AJ Hoggard or Jaden Akins is going to show up. That's not likely to change now. Teams are what they are by this time of the season. This is not a vintage MSU team.
 

LesBolstad said:
MSU is a great matchup for us. They are bad shooters and will not be able to exploit the horrible Gopher defense. I will be taking the points in this one: $$$ of $$$$ rating pick
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They also aren't particularly strong inside which helps. They are a much better matchup for us than the other 10-10 teams (Iowa and Indiana) but that is predicated on our team rebounding from our awful end-of-season performances. We've rebounded from bad games before to play better but I guess we won't know until Thursday.
 

howeda7 said:
Based on how the Gophers have played lately, "locked in early" is unlikely to happen. We fall behind double digits in the first half of nearly every game.
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That's why I said, "If." :ROFLMAO:

If we can punch first, I like our chances.
 



The game is reasonably a toss-up. Both teams have been inconsistent, as others have pointed out. In both previous games, we had trouble handling Malik Hall’s aggressive play. To me, the key is whether we minimize turnovers and hit 3’s. Need Christie to play like he can, and stop MSU’s easy transition buckets. We are good enough to win, but we have shown that we can play horribly. Which team will show up?
 

Go4POV said:
The game is reasonably a toss-up. Both teams have been inconsistent, as others have pointed out. In both previous games, we had trouble handling Malik Hall’s aggressive play. To me, the key is whether we minimize turnovers and hit 3’s. Need Christie to play like he can, and stop MSU’s easy transition buckets. We are good enough to win, but we have shown that we can play horribly. Which team will show up?
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I agree with you based on our two conference games this season. They also aren't as strong as us inside if our big men play well. The problem is that the team's performance in our last two games have left most people more concerned than usual. They've bounced back from poor performances before so we'll see if they can do that on Thursday. I'm glad we drew Michigan State instead of Indiana or even Iowa.
 

TwistingMyMelon said:
I agree with you based on our two conference games this season. They also aren't as strong as us inside if our big men play well. The problem is that the team's performance in our last two games have left most people more concerned than usual. They've bounced back from poor performances before so we'll see if they can do that on Thursday. I'm glad we drew Michigan State instead of Indiana or even Iowa.
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To be honest, I am worried that certain players have already “moved on” psychologically from this season. I hope to hell I am wrong about this and that they all will still play their hearts out. Obviously, I have no “inside” information, just the dismal play in the last couple games has me wondering.
 



I think this qualifies as a big game.

The season could land in a lot of controvercy with a loss.
 

SHGopher said:
I think this qualifies as a big game.

The season could land in a lot of controvercy with a loss.
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Without question! One of the biggest ones of the season. If we lose this one by a significant margin, there's a very good chance we're out of the NIT. If we win this one and play a reasonably close game with Purdue, I'd say were probably in with some margin of safety.
 


Ope3 said:
They updated the article, but still have the Gophers as the #10 Seed.

It's so bizarre as it's one of first articles that pops up on a Google search for "Big 10 Men's Basketball Tournament".
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Just chalk it up to bad reviewing and editing. Happens all the time.
 



TwistingMyMelon said:
Just chalk it up to bad reviewing and editing. Happens all the time.
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I can understand the first miss last night stuff happens. But it was updated a full 12 hours later and is still wrong.

It could potentially impact who Purdue plays, which I have to assume the fan base has some readership.

If it was the Hanover Gazette (hometown of Woody Boyd), I would get it. But the Indianapolis Star?!?
 
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Ope3 said:
I can understand the first miss last night stuff happens. But it was updated a full 12 hours later and is still wrong.

It could potentially impact who Purdue plays, which I have to assume the fan base has no readership.

If it was the Hanover Gazette (hometown of Woody Boyd), I would get it. But the Indianapolis Star?!?
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In the 60's somebody would of had to mail them a letter telling them that they made a mistake.
Today, nobody cares anymore.

In 2024 it would be pretty easy to correct, it seems? But, there you have it...
 

Let''s see the Gophers desperate enough to knock out and burst some bubbles. Beat MSU and then win games until Sunday. For Parker Fox these need to be the 4 days he has ever played. Go Gophers.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
Let''s see the Gophers desperate enough to knock out and burst some bubbles. Beat MSU and then win games until Sunday. For Parker Fox these need to be the 4 days he has ever played. Go Gophers.
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Parker has been great, need some of his teammates to pick up some slack. Guards look tired and we have no depth, really hoping for a huge run in this tourney. But I wouldn't be putting extra pressure on Parker, he really is peaking at the right time. Let's just hope he decides to come back next year.
 


Last year, the Gophs played one of their best games of the year in the opening round of the BTT and knocked off Nebraska. Interestingly, they might have been playing better at the end of last season than they are right now. If I were a betting man, I'd stay away from this team and this game.
 

Two game ago it was a season that many of us were enjoying and had us feeling cautiously optimistic about the future. Now it seems like it rides on one game. If we see the Gopher team from the last two games, who the hell knows what will happen? Do some guys go elsewhere? Will Ben even survive if we play with the same effort as against Indiana? I like Ben; I could see the local recruiting angle in hiring him although it hasn't exactly led to a local recruiting bonanza; but we shouldn't be here after three years where so much seems to be riding on one game.

And maybe it isn't. For all we know, the minds of Coyle and, most importantly, the players might have already been made up as far as if they're coming back.
 

Mulligan said:
Two game ago it was a season that many of us were enjoying and had us feeling cautiously optimistic about the future. Now it seems like it rides on one game. If we see the Gopher team from the last two games, who the hell knows what will happen? Do some guys go elsewhere? Will Ben even survive if we play with the same effort as against Indiana? I like Ben; I could see the local recruiting angle in hiring him although it hasn't exactly led to a local recruiting bonanza; but we shouldn't be here after three years where so much seems to be riding on one game.

And maybe it isn't. For all we know, the minds of Coyle and, most importantly, the players might have already been made up as far as if they're coming back.
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I mean it very clearly isn't riding on one game. GH isn't reality.
 

“When you win 9 league games you’re going to get some respect and some fear from your opponent”

Im sure Izzo is terrified going up against a 9-11 team never seen such success in his career.
 





BarnBurner said:
Wanna lay a C Note on Thursday?
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This post made me laugh out loud. Not even kidding. Do people really say this kind of stuff? I feel like this guy is posting from the breakfast nook of a frat house before he heads out to the street with a sign saying "honk and I'll drink". Who talks like this?
 

GopherPoke said:
This post made me laugh out loud. Not even kidding. Do people really say this kind of stuff? I feel like this guy is posting from the breakfast nook of a frat house before he heads out to the street with a sign saying "honk and I'll drink". Who talks like this?
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Worst poster in the history of GopherHole. It’s not even close.
 

Ope3 said:
I can understand the first miss last night stuff happens. But it was updated a full 12 hours later and is still wrong.

It could potentially impact who Purdue plays, which I have to assume the fan base has some readership.

If it was the Hanover Gazette (hometown of Woody Boyd), I would get it. But the Indianapolis Star?!?
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Maybe it’s a dwarf ⭐️
 


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