***OFFICIAL MINNESOTA AT VIRGINIA TECH BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

[DLib]

If you can't be good, at least be interesting. PP and Carrington should start going forward. And JOJ should play a ton, especially if Garcia keeps this h

Are they that young though? Battle, Garcia, and Cooper are upper classmen and they were supposed to be our stalwarts.

That’s only three players. There r 4 freshmen and a sophomore playing substantial minutes. Yes they are young

 

[BarnBurner]

Are they that young though? Battle, Garcia, and Cooper are upper classmen and they were supposed to be our stalwarts.

Exactly. The kids look deflated, sans PP and JOJ. Disinterested.

If this plays out the rest of the season, Ben's recruiting success may be over. Is there anything this team does well? Anything?

 

[BarnBurner]

That’s only three players. There r 4 freshmen and a sophomore playing substantial minutes. Yes they are young

Plus Samuels.

3 upperclass starters. Ben said himself being young isn't an excuse not to perform.

 

[cjbfbp]

I didn't watch the game, but based on the comments, the outcome is as I expected. I am fearful that if this season really stinks, it will have a devastating effect on fan excitement, which will turn around and have a negative impact on recruiting and overall sentiment of the b-ball program. I agree with some of the posters who stated that Ben needs to have a short leash. We cannot let this program sink too far down as it could takes years to recover.

Don't worry, that's already been happening for many years!

 

[howeda7]

Look, this is a bad team and it's going to be a long season. My advice to you is to have no expectations at all, view this season as a real life version of a Bad News Bears type developmental comedy, and take the good things whenever they come. Another way of saying this: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!"

Otherwise, you're just going to be miserable for many weeks and drive yourself into high blood pressure if you don't already have it.

That's what we were told last year. And at least for half a season it was a pleasant surprise and sort of fun to watch with no expectations.

Having even LOWER expectations in year 2 is not acceptable. My blood pressure isn't up, but this is as hopeless/uninterested as I've been in Gopher basketball since the year Monson got canned.

There's no shame in any of these 3 losses in particular. But being down 20 in all of them most of the game and not really competitive? DePaul, UNLV and VT is not exactly murder's row. They're almost certainly in the middle of losing 5 in a row and will struggle to match last year's 4-16 B1G record.

 

[VanillaThunder]

Gophers have size, but cannot hit the outside shot and are slow to the ball when rebounding or closing out on D. I like the youth and potential, however it is discouraging to see Ben fail to adjust our offense to take advantage of length and go to an inside out game with more cutters/movement to make them more competitive with higher percentage shots.

Cooper can not break his man down and generate easy looks for his teammates nor can he stay in front of his guy. We let other teams get easy looks and the game slips away.

Without altering our systems to get shots we can actually make and defend from, it will be a very long season.

Ihnen is a similar player to what we have in Garcia, a floater who plays soft. I hope Fox plays with aggression next year. Ben has to find a transfer PG with some quickness.

Payne has potential. Carrington played scared tonight, as did most of the team.

I hope Ben can adjust to find an identity for this team. He has to make adjustments.

 

[cjbfbp]

That's what we were told last year. And at least for half a season it was a pleasant surprise and sort of fun to watch with no expectations.

Having even LOWER expectations in year 2 is not acceptable. My blood pressure isn't up, but this is as hopeless/uninterested as I've been in Gopher basketball since the year Monson got canned.

There's no shame in any of these 3 losses in particular. But being down 20 in all of them most of the game and not really competitive? DePaul, UNLV and VT is not exactly murder's row. They're almost certainly in the middle of losing 5 in a row and will struggle to match last year's 4-16 B1G record.

Last year wasn't a developmental year because the substantial majority of the team was a one-year rental. This team is made up mostly of promising freshman and currently misfit vets. Let's hope the freshmen develop further and the vets somehow get fixed into a working order.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

I listened to the game on the radio and at the beginning Mike Grimm was saying Garcia was playing ill.

Then why play him…right?

Anyway…I wish I had listened to Grimm. The announcer doing color on TV was absolutely the most annoying I’ve ever heard. Sure, I think he was pretty spot on with his assessment of the Gophers, but, man, he threw down a lot of cringeworthy comments. And even admitted his ACC bias.

 

[Gopher Teeth]

That's what we were told last year. And at least for half a season it was a pleasant surprise and sort of fun to watch with no expectations.

Having even LOWER expectations in year 2 is not acceptable. My blood pressure isn't up, but this is as hopeless/uninterested as I've been in Gopher basketball since the year Monson got canned.

There's no shame in any of these 3 losses in particular. But being down 20 in all of them most of the game and not really competitive? DePaul, UNLV and VT is not exactly murder's row. They're almost certainly in the middle of losing 5 in a row and will struggle to match last year's 4-16 B1G record.

I am having a hard time seeing a B1G game they will win. I am sure they will end up catching lightning in a bottle at some point and win one, but this looks like the worst team I have seen in all my years of watching Minnesota basketball.

 

[GO4INLALALAND]

I'm not sure fan interest/excitement can get any lower. It's already at the bottom. Look at the crowds. Listen to local sports talk. Gopher basketball don't even warrant a mention except to mock them for not playing St. Thomas.

That's depressing. The Gophers have some great basketball history and have had some great players. I remember Voshon Lenard from my days at college, those were some fun teams. With the new Athletes Village, it seems like the ingredients are there for a great team to emerge, we just need someone who can bring it all together. I hope Ben is the guy, I just am very nervous to hand him the keys due to his lack of experience running a major college program. I know that it is hard to get coaches to even bother looking in MN's direction when the HC position opens up, but man, it seems like there are a lot worse places to coach than the U of M.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Ben looks over his head right now. Hoping it’s a start of the season thing, but you can coach effort, motion, etc and it’s sorely lacking

This doesnt make sense. How does the staff overachieve with the roster last year (all aspects of the game) to this.

 

[stocker08]

Ihnen is a similar player to what we have in Garcia, a floater who plays soft. I hope Fox plays with aggression next year. Ben has to find a transfer PG with some quickness.

It's been over a year since Ihnen has been on the floor. Are you thinking of someone else? Because Ihnen never looked "soft" to me.

 

[howeda7]

I know that it is hard to get coaches to even bother looking in MN's direction when the HC position opens up, but man, it seems like there are a lot worse places to coach than the U of M.

It's not that hard. We could have had Craig Smith and probably several others. Coyle made his choice and he will get 3 years at least.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

I am having a hard time seeing a B1G game they will win. I am sure they will end up catching lightning in a bottle at some point and win one, but this looks like the worst team I have seen in all my years of watching Minnesota basketball.

Gotta avoid Ben’s nw teams 32 big ten straight losses. We gotta win one bt game and the. We can breathe easier

 

[cjbfbp]

That's depressing. The Gophers have some great basketball history and have had some great players. I remember Voshon Lenard from my days at college, those were some fun teams. With the new Athletes Village, it seems like the ingredients are there for a great team to emerge, we just need someone who can bring it all together. I hope Ben is the guy, I just am very nervous to hand him the keys due to his lack of experience running a major college program. I know that it is hard to get coaches to even bother looking in MN's direction when the HC position opens up, but man, it seems like there are a lot worse places to coach than the U of M.

Nothing to be nervous about. The keys handoff was done in the spring of 2021 without your permission.

Look, if Johnson fails, he'll be fired and they'll try it again with someone else. There's nothing anyone of us can do about it so fretting about the future is a waste of time and energy.

 

[GO4INLALALAND]

It's not that hard. We could have had Craig Smith and probably several others. Coyle made his choice and he will get 3 years at least.

Sigh...

 

[stocker08]

It's not that hard. We could have had Craig Smith and probably several others. Coyle made his choice and he will get 3 years at least.

We could have had a guy who is struggling at Utah!? Well damn.

 

[howeda7]

Nothing to be nervous about. The keys handoff was done in the spring of 2021 without your permission.

Look, if Johnson fails, he'll be fired and they'll try it again with someone else. There's nothing anyone of us can do about it so fretting about the future is a waste of time and energy.

Pretty much. The only voice fans have is with their wallets. The silence is pretty loud.

 

[scools12]

That's depressing. The Gophers have some great basketball history and have had some great players. I remember Voshon Lenard from my days at college, those were some fun teams. With the new Athletes Village, it seems like the ingredients are there for a great team to emerge, we just need someone who can bring it all together. I hope Ben is the guy, I just am very nervous to hand him the keys due to his lack of experience running a major college program. I know that it is hard to get coaches to even bother looking in MN's direction when the HC position opens up, but man, it seems like there are a lot worse places to coach than the U of M.

The AD has made a couple of scratch your head hires with regards to BB.

Unless there is absolutely no progress made whatsoever the leash will be extremely long on the hire. Going to take a lot patience by the fan base to get through it.

 

[howeda7]

We could have had a guy who is struggling at Utah!? Well damn.

I'm not saying he's my first choice of everyone. But if it's a binary choice, yes. 100%. Same thing I'd have said in March 2021. No point in rehashing further now though.

 

[GO4INLALALAND]

Nothing to be nervous about. The keys handoff was done in the spring of 2021 without your permission.

Look, if Johnson fails, he'll be fired and they'll try it again with someone else. There's nothing anyone of us can do about it so fretting about the future is a waste of time and energy.

What is the point of even talking on a message board, because nothing we say or do has any impact on basketball. I don't understand ppl like you, you act like having a personal investment in this team and expressing one's concern one a message board is foolish because it will not have an impact on the team. Listen, I know expressing how I feel about my beloved Gophers on here has no impact on who Coyle decides to hire or how the HC decides to run the team. I'm just letting the community know my point of view. That is the point of a message board, in case you were not aware. SMH.

 

[kg21]

Winters here in Minnesota are long.

Is it really asking too much to at least be competitive? This is hot garbage.

 

[Roland Brooks]

Then why play him…right?

Anyway…I wish I had listened to Grimm. The announcer doing color on TV was absolutely the most annoying I’ve ever heard. Sure, I think he was pretty spot on with his assessment of the Gophers, but, man, he threw down a lot of cringeworthy comments. And even admitted his ACC bias.

Yep Grim is not biased. TV announcer loved Payne… mini Bam reference.. truth hurts

 

[upnorthkid]

This doesnt make sense. How does the staff overachieve with the roster last year (all aspects of the game) to this.

Veteran leadership of Willis who literally carried them I guess? This group clearly has no “dog” on it who’s the alpha and it shows

 

[Holf2]

Ben refuses to stop digging. I’ve said it all season long, it’s very clear Payne and JOJ are your strongest players. The reason for the discombobulation/lack of cohesion is lineup mismanagement. When you play your best players, water flows(energy) down hill/properly. Instead, you have JOJ still unclear of his role/value, when it should have been abundantly clear from the start. Again, playing Ramberg all those minutes early instead of JOJ was inexcusable. All of the investment/confidence we could muster should have been directed to JOJ, because, he was very obviously going to be in front of Ramberg on the depth chart, and there’s simply no alternate rationale from Johnson I would accept on this point. He is siphoning the natural energy of this team. And for what? Cuz he made the wrong calls early and refuses to acknowledge it. Why on earth are TT/Henley still starting? Put. Down. The. Shovel. You’re a good coach. You have great temperament. Guys want to play for you. Just own up to the obviousness of the errors here and play your best players. You recruited them. Why not support them? Everyone on the team is suffering cuz deep down they all know the hierarchy is wrong, and that’s not their fault. They need their coach to course correct for them. Be a leader. Just do the obvious things. Unleash the fury.

 

[Bad Gopher]

We could have had a guy who is struggling at Utah!? Well damn.

Utes are #51 in the Sagarin ratings. I'd take that in a heartbeat.

Not against Ben, but I'm a big fan of Smith. I'd love to see them face each other in the national title game some day. At this point, though, I'd accept a glimmer of hope of us getting back to the tourney in the next few years.

On the bright side, I got my Target run done during the second half. Silver lining.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Utes are #51 in the Sagarin ratings. I'd take that in a heartbeat.

Not against Ben, but I'm a big fan of Smith. I'd love to see them face each other in the national title game some day. At this point, though, I'd accept a glimmer of hope of us getting back to the tourney in the next few years.

On the bright side, I got my Target run done during the second half. Silver lining.

Holy S***, what did you take a hit off of right before you typed that out?

 

[Gophers7633]

We could have had a guy who is struggling at Utah!? Well damn.

Utah 64 at KenPom
Gophers 153 at KenPom

 

[cjbfbp]

What is the point of even talking on a message board, because nothing we say or do has any impact on basketball. I don't understand ppl like you, you act like having a personal investment in this team and expressing one's concern one a message board is foolish because it will not have an impact on the team. Listen, I know expressing how I feel about my beloved Gophers on here has no impact on who Coyle decides to hire or how the HC decides to run the team. I'm just letting the community know my point of view. That is the point of a message board, in case you were not aware. SMH.

Do you think they had any doubt about your point of view? Who the hell could be happy about this?

And I don't understand people like you who cry like babies because the team is lousy. Are you a man or a five year old whose favorite toy just broke? If you just told me you were diagnosed with cancer, I'd be sympathetic. About this? Not so much.

 

[GophersInIowa]

1. Ben should have gotten a T in the 1st half as the officials were awful. At least two obvious walks missed.
2. Did ESPN not have the ability to show replays?
3. Not going to win many games if our supposed two best players don’t show up.
4. Payne continues to look good.
5. I wish every player played as hard as JOJ.