I like how the author called us a “guaranteed tournament team”Busting Brackets Take on Tonight's Game:
Minnesota vs. Rutgers: 2020-21 basketball game preview, TV schedule (bustingbrackets.com)
I was thinking the exact same thing. I might be wrong, but I see this team turning around at some point, and tonight would be a great time for it. Not an easy task, though; Rutgers is legit top 25.After winning 3 in a row, Rutgers currently is 6-6 in conference play. They have identical 3-3 conference records at home and on the road so, unlike the Gophers, home court hasn't provided a great edge in conference so far. It must be said that the three home losses were to upper echelon conference teams (Iowa, OSU, and Wisconsin). They did beat Illinois at home.
It may seem that the Gophers have been in such a funk that there is little reason for optimism about the near future. However, there is a precedent for a Pitino team rebounding after being in a deep funk. Pitino's best team (2017) lost five in a row during late January before winning 8 in a row after that. Of course, that team had a more solid top 7 rotation than this one and I can't see this team doing as well as that. Still, it's not impossible that they could put together a successful enough streak to finish above .500 in the conference.
MN feels like the easiest team to bet in the country right now. We play well we win so take the +160 ML, when we play poor we get our doors absolutely blown off so you take the Alt line of Rutgers -15 at +200. Either way you win $$. I really see no way this is a close loss. We either snap out and win or just get blasted. Based on the past road results...likely a night we need to find a new show to watch at 9.
Biggest game of the year so far.
A loss doesn’t put you out of the tourney, a loss does put you at 4-7 and essentially means you’re going to finish bottom half of the conference.
Wow, nice fan support.....With this weak minded bunch and coach, I think it does. Lose this one and the wheels fall off and it's over.
Sorry, just the way I feel.
That said, we come out and play our butts off and win this one by 9. Back on track. Let's go.