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My daughter said Mitchell was on the floor after his injury until a Gopher trainer reached him. When the trainer tried to move Mitchell's arm/shoulder area, she said Mitchell let out a pretty loud yell. Did anyone here see it happen? From what she told me, it sounds like a possible dislocated shoulder. If so, I would think he doesn't miss any time, but he'll need a couple weeks to feel good again.
 

MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
Patterson wasn't very impressive.
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The team doesn't look impressive to me. I think Christie is replaceable by a guy like Rigsby, but I really don't see replacements for Payne or Hawkins in terms of speed and athleticism. This will be a physically strong team. I hope Cochrane and Femi are difference makers.
 

bga1 said:
The team doesn't look impressive to me. I think Christie is replaceable by a guy like Rigsby, but I really don't see replacements for Payne or Hawkins in terms of speed and athleticism. This will be a physically strong team. I hope Cochrane and Femi are difference makers.
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Frank is better than Payne just have to hope he recovers quickly. Hawkins was too little and our replacements will be net better than him from their defense. Christie replacement is the biggest question mark, easily. He’d have been a deadly sophomore,

Team looks pretty good if healthy. Probably better than last year, if I had to guess.
 



My thoughts after first look at Gophers:

Garcia, Mike Mitchell, and Rigsby entrenched as starters. The other two spots (PG/wing & C) still TBD.

By the Big Ten opener @ Indiana, some combination of Asuma/Patterson/Odukale & Frank Mitchell/Edmonds will grab the other two spots.

There is more depth this year. Still TBD, will it be Big Ten quality depth?
 
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MissouriGopher said:
Frank is better than Payne just have to hope he recovers quickly. Hawkins was too little and our replacements will be net better than him from their defense. Christie replacement is the biggest question mark, easily. He’d have been a deadly sophomore,

Team looks pretty good if healthy. Probably better than last year, if I had to guess.
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Frank will be a better rebounder and passer than Payne. Payne had the ability to change things defensively that I doubt Frank does do to his height and Payne's vertical. Payne was an above the rim finisher and I don't see Frank doing that.

As far as Christie, I am trying to see if we can match or better last year's team. I think Rigsby can do that as he is more versatile than Christie was last year. Of course Christie has more upside, just like Payne has more upside than Frank.

You are right we get a defensive upgrade over Hawkins. On the other hand, Hawkins got us a lot o easy buckets because of the speed he got up court with and the way he was able to break the defense down off the dribble.

If we turn into a really good defensive team, we have a chance to be as good or better. That has to be the way forward. We were weak defensively at the guard last year with Christie and Hawkins.
 

bga1 said:
As far as Christie, I am trying to see if we can match or better last year's team. I think Rigsby can do that as he is more versatile than Christie was last year. Of course Christie has more upside, just like Payne has more upside than Frank.
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I don't think Rigsby can, or should be expected to replace Christie.

Between Rigsby, Cochran, and Odukale...we can certainly replace what Christie and Carrington gave us last year.

Replace him in the aggregate, Moneyball style.
 



SelectionSunday said:
My thoughts after first look at Gophers:

Garcia, Mike Mitchell, and Rigsby entrenched as starters. The other two spots (PG/wing & C) still TBD.

By the Big Ten opener @ Indiana, some combination of Asuma/Patterson/Odukale & Frank Mitchell/Edmonds will grab the other two spots.

There is more depth this year. Still TBD, will it be Big Ten quality depth?
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If Mitchell is healthy, he is 100% locked in as the starting center.
 

SelectionSunday said:
My thoughts after first look at Gophers:

Garcia, Mike Mitchell, and Rigsby entrenched as starters. The other two spots (PG/wing & C) still TBD.

By the Big Ten opener @ Indiana, some combination of Asuma/Patterson/Odukale & Frank Mitchell/Edmonds will grab the other two spots.

There is more depth this year. Still TBD, will it be Big Ten quality depth?
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Rigsby has looked good thusfar.

But once Odukale gets healthy, I think he'll have the inside track to start.
 







howeda7 said:
Would that really keep him out 2 months?
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according to the internet, which is never wrong, minimum recovery time for a simple dislocation is 4 to 6 weeks - but it can also run anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks depending on the severity.

so it could be 2 months but possibly as long as 4 months - meaning a return by the end of December or end of February.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
according to the internet, which is never wrong, minimum recovery time for a simple dislocation is 4 to 6 weeks - but it can also run anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks depending on the severity.

so it could be 2 months but possibly as long as 4 months - meaning a return by the end of December or end of February.
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Interesting, so he could miss 1 to 4 months. Great stuff as always
 


short ornery norwegian said:
according to the internet, which is never wrong, minimum recovery time for a simple dislocation is 4 to 6 weeks - but it can also run anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks depending on the severity.

so it could be 2 months but possibly as long as 4 months - meaning a return by the end of December or end of February.
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Yikes.
 

Just finished watching the replay.
My impressions after watching two exhibitions is that the prediction of last place in the B1G is probably warranted. I think Coach Johnson can draw up a solid offense, but ironically he cannot recruit elite athletes to play at UMN and it's the poor recruiting that will do him in as a head coach. Ben can game plan, but he's game planning with lower mid-major talent against elite D1 talent and the outcome is going to be more losses than wins. In the B1G conference it will not surprise me to see the Gophers take last place. We just don't have enough talent to be successful.

That being said, I will hope for the best.
 

SelectionSunday said:
My thoughts after first look at Gophers:

Garcia, Mike Mitchell, and Rigsby entrenched as starters. The other two spots (PG/wing & C) still TBD.

By the Big Ten opener @ Indiana, some combination of Asuma/Patterson/Odukale & Frank Mitchell/Edmonds will grab the other two spots.
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So you like Ike?

What stood out to you about him?


SelectionSunday said:
There is more depth this year. Still TBD, will it be Big Ten quality depth?
Click to expand...
 

short ornery norwegian said:
according to the internet, which is never wrong, minimum recovery time for a simple dislocation is 4 to 6 weeks - but it can also run anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks depending on the severity.

so it could be 2 months but possibly as long as 4 months - meaning a return by the end of December or end of February.
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I’m gu there’s different grades to it

And some people recover quicker than others
 

FinnGopher said:
I think Coach Johnson can draw up a solid offense, but ironically he cannot recruit elite athletes to play at UMN
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Haha, my impressions of him and his tenure are pretty much the opposite.

Our offensive talent last year was above average in the Big Ten, but we ran practically zero sets or discernible system whatsoever.
 


Some things that jumped out to me for those who didn't watch:
  • Gophs starting five jumped out to something like a 16-0 lead, then Frank Mitchell got hurt, and Ben did a Tubby Smith line change.
  • Ben gave a ton of run to the deep bench, so take the score with a grain of salt.
Rigsby: Most impressed with him. Nice stroke, quick, and springy. He belongs at this level. He made threes, mid-range, and a dunk. He had a monster block, too.

Patterson: He was very "meh," but I realize he's a proven gamer at this level (or close to it at Charlotte). It was a little concerning that he couldn't get by his defender with the ball. It sounds like he's been banged up; he probably just needs to find some rhythm.

Fox: He looks more athletic this year. He played the same kind of game we are accustomed to. He had a dunk where I didn't think it was even a possibility, and he easily hammered it down over a few defenders.

Betts: He looks the same to me as he did last year. I wish it weren't the case, but I don't see him getting many minutes when the BIG schedule starts.

Asuma: He doesn't try to do too much, which is a good thing as a freshman who'll likely play a good amount (the other end of the spectrum is Jaden Henley, who tried to score every time he touched the ball). I thought he let the game come to him nicely and was much more of a factor in the second half. He was playing with the second unit in the first half, and I think he will excel with better players around him. I was a little concerned about his on-the-ball defense at times. a DIII athlete shouldn't be blowing by him.

Edmonds: He's that guy other teams are going to hate. Active defensively always, has a good nose for the ball, and rebounds well. He won't dazzle offensively, but he will have a role, especially if Big Frank misses some time.

Depth: The depth is unlike anything we've experienced under a BJ team. I think the core is:
  • Garcia
  • F Mitchell
  • M Mitchell
  • Rigsby
  • Patterson
  • Fox
  • Edmonds
  • Asuma
Throw Cohcrane and Odukale into the mix; you have ten trustworthy guys.

I expect the offense to stall regularly this season, so I hope Ben leans into a defensive identity, uses his depth, and can be a Top 25 Kempom defensive efficiency-type team. We're not going to win many track meets...

They pressed against Hamline and reaped a few turnovers from it. I hope this is something they incorporate regularly.
 

topos said:
Some things that jumped out to me for those who didn't watch:
  • Gophs starting five jumped out to something like a 16-0 lead, then Frank Mitchell got hurt, and Ben did a Tubby Smith line change.
  • Ben gave a ton of run to the deep bench, so take the score with a grain of salt.
Rigsby: Most impressed with him. Nice stroke, quick, and springy. He belongs at this level. He made threes, mid-range, and a dunk. He had a monster block, too.

Patterson: He was very "meh," but I realize he's a proven gamer at this level (or close to it at Charlotte). It was a little concerning that he couldn't get by his defender with the ball. It sounds like he's been banged up; he probably just needs to find some rhythm.

Fox: He looks more athletic this year. He played the same kind of game we are accustomed to. He had a dunk where I didn't think it was even a possibility, and he easily hammered it down over a few defenders.

Betts: He looks the same to me as he did last year. I wish it weren't the case, but I don't see him getting many minutes when the BIG schedule starts.

Asuma: He doesn't try to do too much, which is a good thing as a freshman who'll likely play a good amount (the other end of the spectrum is Jaden Henley, who tried to score every time he touched the ball). I thought he let the game come to him nicely and was much more of a factor in the second half. He was playing with the second unit in the first half, and I think he will excel with better players around him. I was a little concerned about his on-the-ball defense at times. a DIII athlete shouldn't be blowing by him.

Edmonds: He's that guy other teams are going to hate. Active defensively always, has a good nose for the ball, and rebounds well. He won't dazzle offensively, but he will have a role, especially if Big Frank misses some time.

Depth: The depth is unlike anything we've experienced under a BJ team. I think the core is:
  • Garcia
  • F Mitchell
  • M Mitchell
  • Rigsby
  • Patterson
  • Fox
  • Edmonds
  • Asuma
Throw Cohcrane and Odukale into the mix; you have ten trustworthy guys.

I expect the offense to stall regularly this season, so I hope Ben leans into a defensive identity, uses his depth, and can be a Top 25 Kempom defensive efficiency-type team. We're not going to win many track meets...

They pressed against Hamline and reaped a few turnovers from it. I hope this is something they incorporate regularly.
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Thanks for the in depth recap.

I was impressed by Rigsby’s athleticism in the NCAA tournament - very bouncy.
 

topos said:
Some things that jumped out to me for those who didn't watch:
  • Gophs starting five jumped out to something like a 16-0 lead, then Frank Mitchell got hurt, and Ben did a Tubby Smith line change.
  • Ben gave a ton of run to the deep bench, so take the score with a grain of salt.
Rigsby: Most impressed with him. Nice stroke, quick, and springy. He belongs at this level. He made threes, mid-range, and a dunk. He had a monster block, too.

Patterson: He was very "meh," but I realize he's a proven gamer at this level (or close to it at Charlotte). It was a little concerning that he couldn't get by his defender with the ball. It sounds like he's been banged up; he probably just needs to find some rhythm.

Fox: He looks more athletic this year. He played the same kind of game we are accustomed to. He had a dunk where I didn't think it was even a possibility, and he easily hammered it down over a few defenders.

Betts: He looks the same to me as he did last year. I wish it weren't the case, but I don't see him getting many minutes when the BIG schedule starts.

Asuma: He doesn't try to do too much, which is a good thing as a freshman who'll likely play a good amount (the other end of the spectrum is Jaden Henley, who tried to score every time he touched the ball). I thought he let the game come to him nicely and was much more of a factor in the second half. He was playing with the second unit in the first half, and I think he will excel with better players around him. I was a little concerned about his on-the-ball defense at times. a DIII athlete shouldn't be blowing by him.

Edmonds: He's that guy other teams are going to hate. Active defensively always, has a good nose for the ball, and rebounds well. He won't dazzle offensively, but he will have a role, especially if Big Frank misses some time.

Depth: The depth is unlike anything we've experienced under a BJ team. I think the core is:
  • Garcia
  • F Mitchell
  • M Mitchell
  • Rigsby
  • Patterson
  • Fox
  • Edmonds
  • Asuma
Throw Cohcrane and Odukale into the mix; you have ten trustworthy guys.

I expect the offense to stall regularly this season, so I hope Ben leans into a defensive identity, uses his depth, and can be a Top 25 Kempom defensive efficiency-type team. We're not going to win many track meets...

They pressed against Hamline and reaped a few turnovers from it. I hope this is something they incorporate regularly.
Click to expand...
I plan to steal all of that infomation and pretend I know basketball.
 

topos said:
Some things that jumped out to me for those who didn't watch:
  • Gophs starting five jumped out to something like a 16-0 lead, then Frank Mitchell got hurt, and Ben did a Tubby Smith line change.
  • Ben gave a ton of run to the deep bench, so take the score with a grain of salt.
Rigsby: Most impressed with him. Nice stroke, quick, and springy. He belongs at this level. He made threes, mid-range, and a dunk. He had a monster block, too.

Patterson: He was very "meh," but I realize he's a proven gamer at this level (or close to it at Charlotte). It was a little concerning that he couldn't get by his defender with the ball. It sounds like he's been banged up; he probably just needs to find some rhythm.

Fox: He looks more athletic this year. He played the same kind of game we are accustomed to. He had a dunk where I didn't think it was even a possibility, and he easily hammered it down over a few defenders.

Betts: He looks the same to me as he did last year. I wish it weren't the case, but I don't see him getting many minutes when the BIG schedule starts.

Asuma: He doesn't try to do too much, which is a good thing as a freshman who'll likely play a good amount (the other end of the spectrum is Jaden Henley, who tried to score every time he touched the ball). I thought he let the game come to him nicely and was much more of a factor in the second half. He was playing with the second unit in the first half, and I think he will excel with better players around him. I was a little concerned about his on-the-ball defense at times. a DIII athlete shouldn't be blowing by him.

Edmonds: He's that guy other teams are going to hate. Active defensively always, has a good nose for the ball, and rebounds well. He won't dazzle offensively, but he will have a role, especially if Big Frank misses some time.

Depth: The depth is unlike anything we've experienced under a BJ team. I think the core is:
  • Garcia
  • F Mitchell
  • M Mitchell
  • Rigsby
  • Patterson
  • Fox
  • Edmonds
  • Asuma
Throw Cohcrane and Odukale into the mix; you have ten trustworthy guys.

I expect the offense to stall regularly this season, so I hope Ben leans into a defensive identity, uses his depth, and can be a Top 25 Kempom defensive efficiency-type team. We're not going to win many track meets...

They pressed against Hamline and reaped a few turnovers from it. I hope this is something they incorporate regularly.
Click to expand...
You're more optimistic about what you saw than I am. I hope you're right and I am wrong. I don't see the depth that you are talking about. There are basically three guys who pose a concern on offense in Garcia, Rigsby, and M Mitchell. The rest are either junkyard dogs or unproven (Asuma). When Garcia comes out the offense is going to stagnate as there is no inside-out presence for opponents to be concerned about. With F Mitchell hurt, there is no rebounding and even with F Mitchell healthy we are going to be out rebounded most nights. Also, our bigs cannot make freethrows so them getting to the line will be a liability to the offense. Yes, we have 10 guys we can put on the court, but those 10 guys aren't elite in any area of the game (other than Garcia). I see this team as similar to the blue collar Penn State teams from the 20 teens. I just don't have optimism for a successful season.

Like I said, I hope you're right.
 

FinnGopher said:
You're more optimistic about what you saw than I am. I hope you're right and I am wrong. I don't see the depth that you are talking about. There are basically three guys who pose a concern on offense in Garcia, Rigsby, and M Mitchell. The rest are either junkyard dogs or unproven (Asuma). When Garcia comes out the offense is going to stagnate as there is no inside-out presence for opponents to be concerned about. With F Mitchell hurt, there is no rebounding and even with F Mitchell healthy we are going to be out rebounded most nights. Also, our bigs cannot make freethrows so them getting to the line will be a liability to the offense. Yes, we have 10 guys we can put on the court, but those 10 guys aren't elite in any area of the game (other than Garcia). I see this team as similar to the blue collar Penn State teams from the 20 teens. I just don't have optimism for a successful season.

Like I said, I hope you're right.
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I just stated what I saw (the good and the bad).

Past BJ teams were one injury away from disaster. That shouldn't be the case this year, although Frank Mitchell's injury is probably one of the worst possible, as he's the only true center. Thank goodness we don't play anyone with a pulse until Thanksgiving.

I think this team has more upside than last years sheerly from a depth and experience standpoint. On paper, this is Ben's strongest transfer class, and he has some nice pieces left over (Garcia, Mitchell, Fox).

Ben should have ample options at his disposal and some depth to lean on during a taxing Big Ten campaign (he's never had this luxury). I hope he doesn't squander it...
 

FinnGopher said:
There are basically three guys who pose a concern on offense in Garcia, Rigsby, and M Mitchell.
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Patterson averaged 15 ppg in a good conference last season, on decent efficiency. He may need some time to get up to speed but will be a quality offensive threat for us.

Odukale hasn't played yet, but also has been a proven playmaker with size who has played at a high level.

I'd really try not to read too much into exhibition games against MIAC teams...
 

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