Eastern Kentucky

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SelectionSunday

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Eastern Kentucky/Al return

For what it's worth, to this point EKU has far & away the worst RPI of any of the Gophers' nonconference opponents at #319 (of 345). No other opponent is higher than #190.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say we see Al in the Akron game on the 15th, when we might need him. Seems to me most injury projections (in Al's case we've heard 2 weeks to start of the Big Ten season) usually error on the safe side. Al hasn't played since Nov. 24, so we're already at 2+ weeks. I'd say we'll see him at least a couple games in advance of the Big Ten opener vs. Bucky, even if it's limited minutes or spot duty.
 

Seems to me, SS, that this might be a good game to sit Blake and let his 'turned ankle' or whatever it is heal up. Good game to get Austin and Chip some more experience/ real live playing time.

Famous last words? Hope not.....

Wasn't Eastern Kentucky where Charles Thomas transferred to in 1998? I don't think he ever played though - back troubles I think......
 

Charles Thomas

Yep, that's where he transferred and I think you're right, he never played there or only very little because of injury problems.

What an amazing bench the Gophers had in 1996-97 to support a terrific starting 5. That team was a literal 9 deep. ... and I'm a guy that usually prefers the rotation to be 7 guys, maybe 8. Two scorers off the bench, one a guard (Charles T) & one a forward (Q), as well as two bangers (Trevor and Miles). That team had all the ingredients. I sometimes wonder if Mark Jones (who had a nice 1995-96 junior season for the Gophers) hadn't transferred to UCF if he could have helped too, but perhaps he saw all the talent and wanted to go where he'd get more PT. He did well at UCF in his one season there, I think.
 

I think Thomas was from the EKU area... and Mr. Basketball in Kentucky.. bad back ended things.

We'll face another Charles Thomas (not that one...) .. who is an assistant coach at Akron.. in less than a week.

EKU has Sr. Guard Justin Stommes.. arguably their best player... from Cold Spring Rocori...
Also has frosh 6'6" Taylor Filipek from Willmar.. who has gotten very little playing time so far. Stommes sat the first three games due to being naughty this season.. slow start, but looks to be getting into form now. At 6'7", can stroke it from deep.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
I think Thomas was from the EKU area... and Mr. Basketball in Kentucky.. bad back ended things.

We'll face another Charles Thomas (not that one...) .. who is an assistant coach at Akron.. in less than a week.

EKU has Sr. Guard Justin Stommes.. arguably their best player... from Cold Spring Rocori...
Also has frosh 6'6" Taylor Filipek from Willmar.. who has gotten very little playing time so far. Stommes sat the first three games due to being naughty this season.. slow start, but looks to be getting into form now. At 6'7", can stroke it from deep.
Click to expand...

I just started my write-up on them, and they're a terrible team but they shoot well from three. That makes me nervous all by itself.
 


Anderson8284 said:
Seems to me, SS, that this might be a good game to sit Blake and let his 'turned ankle' or whatever it is heal up. Good game to get Austin and Chip some more experience/ real live playing time.
Click to expand...

+1.

Although I think it's probably more pressing that Mav gets more minutes and on-court experience than Austin or Chip - who have received more PT than Mav has overall.
 

Eastern KY did very well under coach Travis Ford. So well, that he went on to U Mass and then Oklahoma State (Boone loves him). Since Travis' departure, Eastern KY has struggled, but they are in demand for those "softer" out-of-conference reprieves. Respectable program to fill-out a schedule.
 

I forgot that Charles Thomas was Mr. Basketball in kentucky. I know we had a few other Mr. Basketball players. I know Sam Jacobsen was Mr. Basketball MN, and I think Quincy Lewis had won some type of basketball player of the year award in Arkansas (I am not sure if they call it Mr. Basketball). I am not sure about Courtney James either, I don't think he won Mr. Basketball in Indiana but he was one of the top players in the state. That was an awesome team.
 

SelectionSunday said:
For what it's worth, to this point EKU has far & away the worst RPI of any of the Gophers' nonconference opponents at #319 (of 345).
Click to expand...

So I take it this means Gophers win by 12 instead of 10?:D
 



Tubby won't embarrass them. The freshmen might have lots of playing time. At least, let's hope so!
 

Eastern Kentucky:

PG: Devin McDonald (6-0, 185, SR)
SG: Joshua Jones (6-4, 185, JR)
F: Justin Stommes (6-7, 200, SR)
F: Spencer Perrin (6-5, 185,SR)
F: Jeff Johnson (6-8, 228, FR)


Realistically, the Gophers should crush them by 30. The only guy they have with any size is Johnson and he's a Freshman.

Iverson,Mbakwe,Walker and RSIII should all be very dominant against these guys.
 

I played Stommes in high school and can tell you that he is a tough match-up at any level. He plays the guard spot a lot (though I doubt he can match-up with a guard on defense) and can shoot over most smaller guards. I think Rodney will be matched up on him and should be the better athlete and cause Stommes all sorts of troubles. He is a 1000pt scorer so he can obviously put the ball in the hoop. I'll say based on mismatches inside the mighty Gophers win by 35pts
 

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