Good game boys

[MaroonGopher]

It's not good, but how good did you think the Gopher's would be? We are competing very well on the road, which is a far cry from the last few years. I'm just amazed at the panic mode/sky is falling attitude on here. We had an extremely difficult schedule to start the big ten season, and a 1-3 big ten start does not make us an average or bad team.

As nice as it would be, winning on the road against the elite teams on the big ten is not necessary to avoid sweating out selection Sunday or finishing high in the Big Ten. It just isn't. The key to success this year will be beating the teams we should beat and taking care of the top teams at home. Period.

Now, will that happen? I have absolutely no idea, and neither does anybody. Based on how we are playing good competition on the road, I would say we have a pretty good chance at doing so, but we'll find out.

What? I thought the Gophers were supposed to be "taking the next step" with Tubby. Losing, regardless if it's close or not, isn't good. Period. "We almost had em" shouldn't be good enough around here. Minnesota should have won at least one of the road games, but it didn't. This is an average team RIGHT NOW. Unless they show significant improvement in the next couple weeks, the ship will be sunk by the middle of the season. Bottom line: Minnesota almost lost to Indiana at home, lost to Virginia at home, lost to Ohio State on the road after trailing by nearly 20 in the second half, lost to an average Michigan State team and lost to rival Wisconsin...IN THE LAST 40 DAYS!!! The offense can be laughable at times and the players seem scared to be playing for Tubby. They better not chew gum in class or they'll be facing a 6-game suspension.

By the way, WE aren't competing. The Gophers are.

 

[ZPI]

What? I thought the Gophers were supposed to be "taking the next step" with Tubby.

I agree, and I think there is definite progress. Tubby is in line to get the 4th consecutive 20 win season and 3rd consecutive NCAA birth (Minnesota has never accomplished either of these). I don't want to just observe mediocrity anymore that you do, but he has done a damn good job with the program he inherited. If you define failing to take the next step as a 12-4 start that includes a Puerto Rico Tip Off crown, one bad loss, and loses in 3 of the toughest 4 games of the season, than I guess he hasn't taken the next step.

Losing, regardless if it's close or not, isn't good. Period. "We almost had em" shouldn't be good enough around here.

Got it. A loss is a loss and the margin is irrelevant no matter who you are playing.

Minnesota should have won at least one of the road games, but it didn't. This is an average team RIGHT NOW. Unless they show significant improvement in the next couple weeks, the ship will be sunk by the middle of the season.

A 3-2 start (or higher) would have been a tremendous start, a 2-3 start would be acceptable, and a 1-4 start would be a major cause for concern. Unless you expected Tubby to take the next step to one of the top teams in the country, I think you would have to agree with this analysis of a very difficult opening to the big ten season. If we lose to Purdue, I'll start worrying more.

Bottom line: Minnesota almost lost to Indiana at home, lost to Virginia at home, lost to Ohio State on the road after trailing by nearly 20 in the second half, lost to an average Michigan State team and lost to rival Wisconsin...IN THE LAST 40 DAYS!!!

So almost winning tough games on the road doesn't mean anything, but almost losing games does mean something? Makes sense.

And yes, all of that did happen. Thanks for clarifying.

The offense can be laughable at times and the players seems scared to be playing for Tubby. They better not chew gum in class or they'll be facing a 6-game suspension.

Yeah, its a shame we have one of the top 10-15 coaches in the country that has rules and (gasp) enforces them!

By the way, WE aren't competing. The Gophers are.

It always cracks me up when people are annoyed by that. On to Purdue, WE gotta get it!

 

[MN1nAZ]

Gophers will be just fine this year if they can play 35 minutes in every remaining game with the intensity and conviction that they did for the final eight minutes today.

 

[march madness]

Ohio is the #2 team in the country. They have multiple first round NBA players. Trevor is the only one who could start for that team. They are way more talented than us. Diebler is just as good a shooter as blake, is 3 inches taller, and quicker, and there's games they don't even need him. I am proud of the way we fought. But it has more to do with Ohio St. letting of the gas with the lead then great execution on our part. I am fustrated with the offense but the fact is when you are slower and less skilled at every position what do you want?

 

[bga1]

Ohio is the #2 team in the country. They have multiple first round NBA players. Trevor is the only one who could start for that team. They are way more talented than us. Diebler is just as good a shooter as blake, is 3 inches taller, and quicker, and there's games they don't even need him. I am proud of the way we fought. But it has more to do with Ohio St. letting of the gas with the lead then great execution on our part. I am fustrated with the offense but the fact is when you are slower and less skilled at every position what do you want?

MM- I'm with you here, but we are only less skilled not slower. If you take lineup for lineup Mbakwe is quicker than Sullinger, Sampson than Lauderdale, Williams and Light equally quick, Nolen quicker that Craft, only Hoff is slower than Diebler. We've got athleticism. Skills are lacking.
You are 100% right that the final score was a result of OSU letting off the gas- full credit to our gusy for taking advantage but we were totally out of that game with 10 minutes to go. We have a ton of talent -it just doesn't fit the system we are playing. In fact if anyone can recognize the system and tell me what it is- please do.

 

[Monty519]

I'm typically in the "close isn't good enough camp", and still am to a degree, we need to start winning some of these roadies. But I'm not gonna rip a team as "bad", or "horrible", like some of the over reactors have cause of losses in Madison, East Lansing, and the #2 team in the country in Columbus. Why not throw in trips to Purdue and Illinois while we're at it, I mean my goodness, that's a brutal start to BT play. That's why I was most disappointed with the Wisconsin loss, we really needed to finish that one. And now, Purdue is crucial. Get that win, get some of that Puerto Rico confidence going again, and move on to the rest of the conference slate, which by comparison of 4 of our first 5, will feel like a breeze lol.