Comparing next year's team to '97 FF team

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brucekaupa

brucekaupa

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I've been thinking about how far this team could go next season, which makes me sentimental for '97 (which happened). But then that plus the thread about senior day makes me think about *this* year and how that compared to '96. What we're losing this year compared to what we lost after '96.

This year we are obviously losing Springs, which turns out suck more than I thought it would. With two games to go, we have a good shot at a tie for 2nd in the conference...but could finish as low at 7th.

But '96. We graduated Grim (was about 6th on the team in scoring, rebounding and assists) and Crittenden (0.2ppg). But the shocker after that season was when Jones (JUCO) transferred. (At a note, I think we would've won the championship if Jones had stayed). That year we finished 5th in the conference (of 10) at 10-8 with an overall record of 20-12. We went to the NIT and lost in the 2nd round. Then the starting five hit the weights for 10 hours a day for the next 5 months.

The '96 team also had Tarver.
 

brucekaupa said:
I've been thinking about how far this team could go next season, which makes me sentimental for '97 (which happened). But then that plus the thread about senior day makes me think about *this* year and how that compared to '96. What we're losing this year compared to what we lost after '96.

This year we are obviously losing Springs, which turns out suck more than I thought it would. With two games to go, we have a good shot at a tie for 2nd in the conference...but could finish as low at 7th.

But '96. We graduated Grim (was about 6th on the team in scoring, rebounding and assists) and Crittenden (0.2ppg). But the shocker after that season was when Jones (JUCO) transferred. (At a note, I think we would've won the championship if Jones had stayed). That year we finished 5th in the conference (of 10) at 10-8 with an overall record of 20-12. We went to the NIT and lost in the 2nd round. Then the starting five hit the weights for 10 hours a day for the next 5 months.

The '96 team also had Tarver.
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The 96 team was the biggest NCAA snub in Gopher history (at least post-1985).
 

This team will be comparable in every way except one: Bobby Jackson. Can someone step up and be like Bobby Jackson was that year? I'm not sure we will have that guy. Murphy compares with James. Coffey a different player, but he compares with Jacobson. Lynch matches Thomas. Mason is probably a slight upgrade over Harris ( a GREAT defensive player). It boils down to just how good Washington can be as a frosh, how much a recovered Fitzgerald adds and how much the guys improve.
 

The 1997 team had much more NBA talent. Jackson, Thomas, Jacobsen, and Lewis were all 1st Round draft picks. Coffey could be a 1st Round pick. There currently aren't any other 1st Round picks on the roster.
 

Gopherguy0723 said:
The 1997 team had much more NBA talent. Jackson, Thomas, Jacobsen, and Lewis were all 1st Round draft picks. Coffey could be a 1st Round pick. There currently aren't any other 1st Round picks on the roster.
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But I don't think I'm wrong in saying this: At the end of the '96 season, nobody would've predicted that any of those players would be drafted, let alone 1st round picks.
 


If you look game by game, the '97 team had a lot of very close wins, OT games, etc. Pretty much like this season. That team could have easily had 7-8 losses, and this year's team could have as few as 3-4 with a few breaks. I think next year's team can be close to the '97 team. The key to making a deep run is getting a high seed in the tournament.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

PitinoFan said:
If you look game by game, the '97 team had a lot of very close wins, OT games, etc. Pretty much like this season. That team could have easily had 7-8 losses, and this year's team could have as few as 3-4 with a few breaks. I think next year's team can be close to the '97 team. The key to making a deep run is getting a high seed in the tournament.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Couldn't this team also have 10-12 losses?
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
Couldn't this team also have 10-12 losses?
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If you want to take it to that extreme, the '97 team could have had that many as well. 10 of their wins were in OT or by 6 or fewer points. Very similar to this year's team.


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Gopherguy0723 said:
The 1997 team had much more NBA talent. Jackson, Thomas, Jacobsen, and Lewis were all 1st Round draft picks. Coffey could be a 1st Round pick. There currently aren't any other 1st Round picks on the roster.
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Yep. I just watched that game against UCLA on youtube. Granted, UCLA has had more talented teams but Bobby Jackson was clearly the best player on the floor and Sam wasn't far behind. Of course Bailey, OBannon and Dollar didn't really turn into the pros some thought they would but still, 4 first rounders is a lot for any team. That year I fully believe we'd have beaten an excellent Kentucky team had Harris been full go as well. This current team has talent but not at that level. THAT SAID, in this new era, pure talent doesn't matter as much as it did then simply because guys leave so early. You no longer have teams with NBA talent AND experience in multiple spots. What we DO have are a number of guys that are or can/will be excellent college players that just lack an NBA trait. Mason just lacks a little of either the height/length/quickness of an NBA guard but is very skilled and clutch. Murph is just short for a 4. We've got a few guys like that so I could see us competing with anyone next year if we're able to improve our overall shooting a bit
 



And there is also more parity across cbb as well.

So the talent is far more spread out, meaning programs don't need as much talent in their lineups anymore
 

Selection Sunday, is the Gopher 96' team the biggest snub in NCAA history? Or did Clem's easy non-conference scheduling cost them?

Anyone know why Jones left? I loved his game. Maybe he wanted to be the alpha dog.

I contend the 96' team would have done some damage in the tourney had it gotten it. I think they had a let down in the NIT due to the snub. I remember going to the NIT round 2 game they lost. It was to Tulane and Jerald Honeycutt
 

brucekaupa said:
But the shocker after that season was when Jones (JUCO) transferred. (At a note, I think we would've won the championship if Jones had stayed).
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Great memory. What the heck happened there? As I recall, Dr. Jones (not Indiana) was a threat to score and got decent minutes. Why did he transfer?
 




I only count 6. Who am I missing?

Jackson
Jones
Jacobson
Lewis
John Thomas
Winter
 



JimmyJamesMD said:
Selection Sunday, is the Gopher 96' team the biggest snub in NCAA history? Or did Clem's easy non-conference scheduling cost them?

Anyone know why Jones left? I loved his game. Maybe he wanted to be the alpha dog.

I contend the 96' team would have done some damage in the tourney had it gotten it. I think they had a let down in the NIT due to the snub. I remember going to the NIT round 2 game they lost. It was to Tulane and Jerald Honeycutt
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Their final rpi ranking in 1996 was #49. So no, it was not the biggest snub in NCAA history. But it may have been the biggest snub of a Big Ten team? I'm not sure?
 

brucekaupa said:
But I don't think I'm wrong in saying this: At the end of the '96 season, nobody would've predicted that any of those players would be drafted, let alone 1st round picks.
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I don't know for sure but I think Bobby Jackson was discussed and Sam's athleticism like Rodney Williams was always speculated upon, I think. John Thomas no and Quincy was a quiet contributor so it took team success for those two to get noticed.

And now, people keep saying Coffey is a first round NBA player...I'm not seeing that. I'm not saying it can't happen but I don't think it has. He needs to get stronger, handle the ball better and shoot better for that to happen I think. I do like how he plays. He is likely the first choice, I'd agree. After that not sure who is the next most likely NBA candidate? Springs when the threes are falling has an NBA body? They are all too inconsistent. Mason is the only guy we argue is possibly a first team all Big Ten player and so by default maybe he is next...but? Kinda hard to leap to the NBA if you can't get selected on an all Big Ten team.
 



KillmeNow said:
Their final rpi ranking in 1996 was #49. So no, it was not the biggest snub in NCAA history. But it may have been the biggest snub of a Big Ten team? I'm not sure?
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I think the 93 team was just as big of a snub and they backed it up by winning the NIT
 


bga1 said:
This team will be comparable in every way except one: Bobby Jackson. Can someone step up and be like Bobby Jackson was that year? I'm not sure we will have that guy. Murphy compares with James. Coffey a different player, but he compares with Jacobson. Lynch matches Thomas. Mason is probably a slight upgrade over Harris ( a GREAT defensive player). It boils down to just how good Washington can be as a frosh, how much a recovered Fitzgerald adds and how much the guys improve.
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+1000. Nate is showing signs of being a go to guy late in games but Bobby was a 1st round pick who averaged 9.7 PPG in the NBA. Unless I am missing someone, he was the most successful NBA player from the Gophers since Kevin McHale. That being said, I love how this team works together on the floor; that part is very reminiscent of 96-97
 

I totally see both Coffey making an NBA roster someday. Put Coffey on the weights and have him work on his shooting he has the best chance of anyone on being in the NBA. He will be dominant next season when we win the big ten!
 

I compare this team to the 89 team that made the sweet 16. I think next year's team is similar to the 1990 team that made it to the elite 8. 1997 is a notch above the present team, but that is not a knock on this year's team. I have thoroughly enjoyed the season.
 

jamalo said:
+1000. Nate is showing signs of being a go to guy late in games but Bobby was a 1st round pick who averaged 9.7 PPG in the NBA. Unless I am missing someone, he was the most successful NBA player from the Gophers since Kevin McHale. That being said, I love how this team works together on the floor; that part is very reminiscent of 96-97
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You forget Trent Tucker.
 


MennoSota said:
I compare this team to the 89 team that made the sweet 16. I think next year's team is similar to the 1990 team that made it to the elite 8. 1997 is a notch above the present team, but that is not a knock on this year's team. I have thoroughly enjoyed the season.
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I totally agree that it is a better comparison but I think this team is slightly better due to depth. Willie could have been a stud in the NBA but it sounds like he had mental health issues. That being said, he was money as a go to guy for that team (are you listening Kevin Lynch!!)
 

brucekaupa said:
And Lenard
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Good point on Lenard; he averaged 11.9 in his NBA career. I would have never guessed. Tucker was 8 something and always seemed like a 3Pt specialist (nothing wrong with that). Speaking of Tucker, if we had the 3 point line when he played with us, forget about it. Dude was money; one of my all time favorite Gophers
 


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