How high is ceiling for Gophers with Mbakwe? Jim Jackson and Rene Pulley chime in

[BleedGopher]

per this blog from Marcus:

How high is ceiling for Gophers with Mbakwe?
By Marcus Fuller

Big Ten Network analyst Jim Jackson was surprised to get an early call to talk about Minnesota basketball on Thursday, but he gave his take on what Trevor Mbakwe's presence could mean.

Mbakwe might have a chance to be one of the league's top big men after having his suspension lifted Thursday after accepting a pretrial intervention program that could lead to his felony assault charge being dropped in Miami.

But Jackson wasn't ready to say where the Gophers would stand in the Big Ten title race with the physical junior forward from St. Paul.

"It's a long season and things happen during the course of it; just look at last season with all of the injuries," Jackson said. "But it only helps when you have another big guy inside to go along with (Ralph Sampson III and Colton Iverson)."

"You can't substitute size in the Big Ten. In this league, rebounding and interior defense is a must. When you add a body that gives you something offensively and defensively, it advances your rotation."

Howard Pulley founder Rene Pulley said the Gophers could compete for a title with Mbakwe, just as long as senior point guard Al Nolen remains academically eligible.

The Gophers missed Nolen's perimeter defense when he was out for the second semester due to academics last season.

"There's no doubut in my mind," he said. "If that happens, then they can compete for a Big Ten championship. It's going to be a great year."

Pulley also said sophomore forward Rodney Williams Jr. would help take the Gophers to another level if he would develop the "killer instinct" that Mbakwe plays with.

"He looked like he was aggressive this summer, but he needs to get even more aggressive," he said about Williams. "You have to go out there and want to be the best and dominate. Rodney doesn't have that yet. He's just a sweet and nice kid that is really, really good."

http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/08/how-high-is-ceiling-for-gopher.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

Last Year

Gophers beat NC runner-up Butler and B10 contenders Mich St, Pur, U of IL, Wisky, and Ohio St at least once without Mbakwe.

I think they can beat the top teams WITH HIM as well. Nolen and Mbakwe should take over for Westbrook and Johnson in the Gophers' rotation.

 

[figi]

Trevor is a beast around the basket. Rebounds, dunks, blocks and put backs. He might get into foul trouble now and then but, it will be a small price to pay for his up side.

Watching the fireworks that he and Williams can produce would be a lot of fun.

 

[combes1]

Gophers beat NC runner-up Butler and B10 contenders Mich St, Pur, U of IL, Wisky, and Ohio St at least once without Mbakwe.

I think they can beat the top teams WITH HIM as well. Nolen and Mbakwe should take over for Westbrook and Johnson in the Gophers' rotation.

Makes sense. Minnesota should be very good. However, another way to look at it when it comes to beating Illinois last year without him is that Illinois also is not the same as last year. Besides the returning senior class of McCamey, Tisdale, Davis, and Cole, and the hoped for freshman to sophomore improvement of Richardson, Paul, and Griffey, Illinois adds McDonald's AA Jereme Richmond, top 30 big man Meyers Leonard, 6-6 point guard Joseph Bertrand and uberathlete Crandall Head.

I guess my point is that it is hard to talk about who Minnesota beat last year without TM without talking about the additions those teams will have, too.

Should be a heck of a Big Ten race. Like Minnesota fans, I also expect my team to contend for the title with MSU, Purdue, Wisconsin and Ohio State. The top of the league will be loaded.

 

[ColNathanJessup]

Because the top of the league is likely to beat each other up a lot, the non-conference performance of the Big Ten teams is going to be pretty important for NCAA tourney bids.