KyGopherfan
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2008
- Messages
- 897
- Reaction score
- 33
- Points
- 28
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/notebook?page=notebook/weeklywatch095
Last week: beat Louisville 70-64 in Glendale, Ariz.
Tubby Smith said earlier in the week that he would know a lot more about his team when it stepped up in competition by playing Louisville.
He also said he believed the Gophers were a potential NCAA tournament team.
It's hard to argue with him. The Gophers were clearly the better team -- on this day, at least -- from start to finish. Louisville has more talent, will play a tougher conference schedule and should go further in the NCAA tournament. But on Saturday, Minnesota was the better squad. Louisville could point to a ridiculous schedule that had the Cardinals playing in the Big East-SEC Invitational against Ole Miss on Thursday in Cincinnati and then playing the early game Saturday in suburban Phoenix. But that's an excuse. Minnesota won this game more than Louisville lost it.
A player you might not have heard of, Al Nolen, scored 13 points from the free-throw line. The Gophers got Samardo Samuels to foul out, wouldn't let Earl Clark dominate them and defended the 3-point shot well enough, limiting Louisville to 4-of-17. Foul trouble limited the Gophers' top scorer, Lawrence Westbrook, to only two points; yet the Gophers proved they have balance. Two reserves, Travis Busch and Blake Hoffarber, scored in double figures.
Last week: beat Louisville 70-64 in Glendale, Ariz.
Tubby Smith said earlier in the week that he would know a lot more about his team when it stepped up in competition by playing Louisville.
He also said he believed the Gophers were a potential NCAA tournament team.
It's hard to argue with him. The Gophers were clearly the better team -- on this day, at least -- from start to finish. Louisville has more talent, will play a tougher conference schedule and should go further in the NCAA tournament. But on Saturday, Minnesota was the better squad. Louisville could point to a ridiculous schedule that had the Cardinals playing in the Big East-SEC Invitational against Ole Miss on Thursday in Cincinnati and then playing the early game Saturday in suburban Phoenix. But that's an excuse. Minnesota won this game more than Louisville lost it.
A player you might not have heard of, Al Nolen, scored 13 points from the free-throw line. The Gophers got Samardo Samuels to foul out, wouldn't let Earl Clark dominate them and defended the 3-point shot well enough, limiting Louisville to 4-of-17. Foul trouble limited the Gophers' top scorer, Lawrence Westbrook, to only two points; yet the Gophers proved they have balance. Two reserves, Travis Busch and Blake Hoffarber, scored in double figures.