it is pretty easy to indentify the 3 games that cost the gophers an ncaa bid

[The Ghost of Bierman]

#1 by a long shot: the inexcusable OT loss to indiana at their place. this game was a portrait of how this disappointing season unfolded.

#2: the OT loss to northwestern at their place at leading by 13pts early in the second half. piss poor execution and defense down the stretch cost the gophers a game, that looking back now, they absolutely needed to have.

#3: the 8pt loss to meatchicken at williams arena. a home game the gophers absolutely should have been up for and one that you should not lose if you want to be a ncaa tourney team at the end of regular seaon and BTT play. i can forgive losing to meatchicken at their place late in the seaon on senior night, but not giving up the game at home.


there it is folks. these three inexcusable losses (games you just absolutely SHOULD NOT lose if you consider yourself worthy of an ncaa bid) are what, at the end of the season, are going to cost the gophers a trip to the big dance unless they can miraculously win the BTT or at minimum make a run to the BTT championship game and have a very solid showing in it.

 

[EG#9]

I'd have a completely different list:

1. Michigan State at home: complete choke job, that game was over
2. Purdue at home: complete choke job, that game was over
3. Texas A&M in Anaheim: Yet another one point loss after a terrible performance against Portland, Westbrook and Nolen suspended for the first half.

These are 3 quality wins that absolutely should be on the Gophers resume.

Your 3 would be 5-7 on my list with the loss against Portland getting the 4th spot only because it was the first disappointment in a season full of them.

 

[playhosea!]

record

These are both good lists for their respective purposes.

I agree with EG#9 that the non-conference season and losses like Texas A&M ended up being huge because the conference resume had to be that much better.

 

[josh087]

0-5 in games decided by 1 point or in overtime.

Win 2 of those and its NCAA lock-city.

That doesnt even count all of the non-OT or 1-pt loss games that could have easily gone the other way.

 

[Rosemountian]

Portland - can't lose to Portland, started the ball rolling on the 3 game skid.
Michigan State - Can't blow big leads
Purdue - Can't blow small leads
Northwestern - Gotta win on the road when you get a shot
Indiana - Can't lose to a bottom 3 team
Michigan - Can't get completely destroyed twice by a bad team

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

Home L To Mich St, Purdue And OT L To IU, NWU

Those 4 L were the difference.

Presumably 18-12 would be 22-8.

 

[PapaHawk21]

Miami? Last place team in the ACC currently. Looks worse now than it did when the game occurred.