ESPN writer predictions: ACC/Big Ten Challenge

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zipsofakron

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Looks like Andy Katz is off the Gopher bandwagon. Judging from past years when he was ON the bandwagon, though, this is probably a good thing.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebask...68300/writer-predictions-accbig-ten-challenge

Facing difficult teams at a neutral site was the first test. Facing a good team on the road in a traditionally difficult place to play will be a completely different one.

And, what, no love from Myron? He's far too familiar with the Gophers!
 


Well, he's not off about our Big Ten/ACC challenege road history:

1999: vs. Virginia (W, 74-62)
2000: at Florida State (W, 76-71)
2001: at Wake Forest (L, 79-85)
2002: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 64-63)
2003: at Virginia (L, 78-86)
2004: vs. Florida State (L, 69-70)
2005: at Maryland (L, 66-83)
2006: vs. Clemson (L, 68-90)
2007: at Florida State (L, 61-75)
2008: vs. Virginia (66-56)
2009: at Miami (L, 58-63)
2010: vs. Virginia (L, 79-87)
2011: vs. Virginia Tech (W, 58-55)

On a bright note, our one road win was at Florida State lol.
 

Myron says: "...a Minnesota team with a history of fizzling on the road in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups..."

Hmmm. Let's take a look.
- 2011-2012: Hosted Virginia Tech and won
- 2010-2011: Hosted Virginia and lost
- 2009-2010: Played at Miami and lost
- 2008-2009: Hosted Virginia and won
- 2007-2008: Played at Florida State and lost

So there's your complete history under Tubby. Sample size is two games, one of which had exactly one player from the current team participate and one of which had exactly zero players from the current team on the damn roster.

I hate when sports writers refer to "history" as impacting the current year. Great example of why it isn't applicable.
 

For ease of interpretation, here are the picks numerically:

Florida State 4-2
Iowa 5-1
Michigan 5-1
Maryland 4-2
Wake Forest 5-1
Indiana 5-0

Wisconsin 6-0
Clemson 6-0
Michigan State 4-2
Illinois 6-0
Penn State 5-1
Duke 4-2

As a consensus, they like the B1G 7-5.
 


One of the reasons the Gophers have traditionally lost on the road is because we really haven't been good at taking care of the basketball...that's the biggest issue tonight. If we can equal FSU in total shot attempts, We'll win easily...but I expect they'll put up 10 to 15 more shots than us, simply because we give it away too easily.
 

Moses87 said:
One of the reasons the Gophers have traditionally lost on the road is because we really haven't been good at taking care of the basketball...that's the biggest issue tonight. If we can equal FSU in total shot attempts, We'll win easily...but I expect they'll put up 10 to 15 more shots than us, simply because we give it away too easily.
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FSU turns it over as much or more than Minnesota. Should be pretty even on the ball security front. We need to control the glass to limit a potential shot discrepancy.
 

brucekaupa said:
Myron says: "...a Minnesota team with a history of fizzling on the road in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups..."

Hmmm. Let's take a look.
- 2011-2012: Hosted Virginia Tech and won
- 2010-2011: Hosted Virginia and lost
- 2009-2010: Played at Miami and lost
- 2008-2009: Hosted Virginia and won
- 2007-2008: Played at Florida State and lost

So there's your complete history under Tubby. Sample size is two games, one of which had exactly one player from the current team participate and one of which had exactly zero players from the current team on the damn roster.

I hate when sports writers refer to "history" as impacting the current year. Great example of why it isn't applicable.
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This has always annoyed me too. Makes no sense to base a prediction off of something that happened with a completely different team full of completely different players.
 




2002: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 64-63)
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Don't mean to change the subject but I was 13 for that 2002 game against GT. Bauer's buzzerbeater off the backboard was amazing. Take that Jarret Jack and company.
 

Moses87 said:
One of the reasons the Gophers have traditionally lost on the road is because we really haven't been good at taking care of the basketball...that's the biggest issue tonight. If we can equal FSU in total shot attempts, We'll win easily...but I expect they'll put up 10 to 15 more shots than us, simply because we give it away too easily.
Click to expand...

We didn't hear you mention the turnover issues the first 25 times you brought it up in other threads. So you're saying the Gophers have problems with turnovers? Expound on that again for us.
 

Conference away B1G record under Tubby is 14-31, he wins 31% of the away games, not to hard to pick against the Gophers in this one, if this team is going to be any different they really have to figure out how to win games like this.
 

SelectionSunday said:
We didn't hear you mention the turnover issues the first 25 times you brought it up in other threads. So you're saying the Gophers have problems with turnovers? Expound on that again for us.
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Hodger, Hodger, Hodger...exposing a poster. What will come next?! We could resurrect the raised floor issue in honor of the memory of Gopher4Life.
 



SelectionSunday said:
We didn't hear you mention the turnover issues the first 25 times you brought it up in other threads. So you're saying the Gophers have problems with turnovers? Expound on that again for us.
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I wish Tubby and his staff would get a "handle" on the problem but sometimes I wonder if they ever critique players regarding sloppy play...Because the same, careless and sloppy mistakes have continued game in and game out during the Tubby regime.

I'm starting to think this team may have to insert Ahanmisi at the point and have Dre be the 2, sliding Austin to the 3 and limiting Joe Coleman's minutes. That might hurt us on the defensive side though. Welch has been a disappointment as well.

Unrelated topic: Otto is 0-11 for three pointers this year...He's DUE!!!!
 

Agree that it shouldn't be surprising to see anyone pick against the Gophers. Under Tubby the Gophers are 3-20 in true road games vs. teams that ended up in the NCAA Tournament. Those 3 wins were @ Wisconsin (2008-09), Michigan (2010-11), and Indiana (2011-12). And since I expect the Seminoles to land in the NCAA Tournament, the percentages (not that they're fool-proof) are not with the Gophers tonight.

This would be a nice win on their resume if the Gophers can get it. The more quality wins teams can accrue prior to their conference seasons, the larger their margin of error in in January-February-March.
 

Moses87 said:
Unrelated topic: Otto is 0-11 for three pointers this year...He's DUE!!!!
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Who would have thought that Oto's set shot 3's wouldn't be falling? TRY JUMPING. I have no idea what he does to warrant playing time. Its hard to stretch the floor when it takes you 6 seconds to get a shot off and it never goes it.
 

khoffman43 said:
Who would have thought that Oto's set shot 3's wouldn't be falling? TRY JUMPING. I have no idea what he does to warrant playing time. Its hard to stretch the floor when it takes you 6 seconds to get a shot off and it never goes it.
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I guess they're trying to give him a chance to shoot his way out of the slump and justify that recruiting visit to Riga (Saul probably went and loaded up on Smirnoff)...Seriously, this guy may be playing his last significant minutes tonight if he doesn't start hitting shots. At a certain point, you just have to cut your losses.
 

Moses87 said:
I guess they're trying to give him a chance to shoot his way out of the slump and justify that recruiting visit to Riga (Saul probably went and loaded up on Smirnoff)...Seriously, this guy may be playing his last significant minutes tonight if he doesn't start hitting shots. At a certain point, you just have to cut your losses.
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I like everything you said, especially the cheap dig at Saul. Oto looks like a ball player but he just can't do anything well, even shoot. I hope he starts to light it up outside because that is a great asset coming off the bench, but I don't believe he will. It might have been the Stanford game where he took forever to shoot and was hesitant and then he got blocked shooting at least 1 three...just frustrating to watch
 

LBJ said:
Don't mean to change the subject but I was 13 for that 2002 game against GT. Bauer's buzzerbeater off the backboard was amazing. Take that Jarret Jack and company.
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I was at the same game but Bauer's buzzer beater was against Georgia, not GT. I believe they took down Chris Bosh and GT a few nights later.
 

No worries, Joe Esposito assured me on Twitter that the turnover issue would be fixed...
 

Boy, they were spot on with the Iowa prediction. LOL
 





The B10 still gets to count a victory no matter what in the Northwestern/Maryland game, right?
 



scher215 said:
Myron hasn't gotten a game right yet.
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It's hard to believe he can get so many wrong... Funny though. I don't know how he is doing with ESPN, but I hope Amelia sticks around for a while.
 

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