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touchdownvikings said:
73 points. Enough to win. Need to play defense. BTN highlighted the fact the Gophers are the worst in the B1G at defense. As all of you have said before, defense is just about effort. If that's right, coaching staff needs to emphasize defense.
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Bayfieldgopher said:
TT has moxie and I like his attitude. Put on 25lb of muscle during offseason and we will talk.
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touchdownvikings said:
73 points. Enough to win. Need to play defense. BTN highlighted the fact the Gophers are the worst in the B1G at defense. As all of you have said before, defense is just about effort. If that's right, coaching staff needs to emphasize defense.
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We have no length on the perimeter, our foot speed on the perimeter is not great.

Inside we have basically nothing as far as defense. We aren't big and don't get off our feet well.

To me, they are doing what they can and hustle. It's a simple lack of talent. They give what they have.

Our defensive points per game does not appear bad, but we run the shot clock down and play slow. That helps your defensive numbers.
 
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While our points per game looks good, I think in the pregame they mentioned we are the worst efficiency wise. The game pitted the most efficient offense verses the least efficient defense. Purdue has a ton of weapons and shoot it so well. I’m not sure how the hell they lost to Rutgers.
 


To echo some of the above, I think Johnson is getting a lot out of this team, props to him and the team! However we are clearly at a talent deficit. And that's ok for a year or 2, but long term recruiting is the name of the game. When we play Wisconsin and they say "MN kid who went to WI" yah it's annoying but its true, we need those kids. Or tonight we heard "Edey and Hunter were pursued hard by MN". That simply doesn't happen the other way, yet. Again it's a positive how we've played this year (if I read right all 8 losses to top 30 NET teams), but CBJ is going to need to show his recruiting chops if we want to go from "hey we played good they were just better" to winning these games.
 


Outsider said:
While our points per game looks good, I think in the pregame they mentioned we are the worst efficiency wise. The game pitted the most efficient offense verses the least efficient defense. Purdue has a ton of weapons and shoot it so well. I’m not sure how the hell they lost to Rutgers.
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Well, these things happen. One of the Eddie Jordan coached Rutgers teams was 2-16 in the conference but one of those wins was against the Wisconsin team that lost the national championship to Duke and finished 36-4.
 

leib0039 said:
To echo some of the above, I think Johnson is getting a lot out of this team, props to him and the team! However we are clearly at a talent deficit. And that's ok for a year or 2, but long term recruiting is the name of the game. When we play Wisconsin and they say "MN kid who went to WI" yah it's annoying but its true, we need those kids. Or tonight we heard "Edey and Hunter were pursued hard by MN". That simply doesn't happen the other way, yet. Again it's a positive how we've played this year (if I read right all 8 losses to top 30 NET teams), but CBJ is going to need to show his recruiting chops if we want to go from "hey we played good they were just better" to winning these games.
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Next year is going to be brutal, also. We've got next years class pretty well filled out.

It's so damn hard to recruit when kids see this year and what will be a struggle next year. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Next year will be rough, but we will get to see some young guys play. Hopefully they give us hope and excitement. What sucks about this year, is there is nothing for the future to really watch except TT.
 



kg21 said:
Next year is going to be brutal, also. We've got next years class pretty well filled out.

It's so damn hard to recruit when kids see this year and what will be a struggle next year. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Next year will be rough, but we will get to see some young guys play. Hopefully they give us hope and excitement. What sucks about this year, is there is nothing for the future to really watch except TT.
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I mostly agree but I'd add 2 more years of Battle will be ok too 😉
 


leib0039 said:
I mostly agree but I'd add 2 more years of Battle will be ok too 😉
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Imagine how many good "looks" Battle, Willis, etc would have if we had an established and dominate guy in the low post. Iowa could probably same the same thing.

Clearly Curry, nor his replacement(s) were no match for the PU bigs. Daniels is a body and TT is not phisically not ready.

The #4 spot will be very solid next season with Battle, Fox and Ihnen but a solid #5 transfer would sure look good inside. Along with a PG with handles.
 




fan of Ray Williams said:
View attachment 16827
Before today's game
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I think what Outsider said is correct. BTN said that our defensive efficiency is the worst in the B1G. I am not a basketball guy... But I take that to mean that while the Gophers may slow things down to prevent scoring on them, when you evaluate how they actually perform when they're on defense, they are the worst in the B1G. If it's true, as you have all said a ZILLION times that defense is just effort, then we need to stress that.
 

kg21 said:
Next year is going to be brutal, also. We've got next years class pretty well filled out.

It's so damn hard to recruit when kids see this year and what will be a struggle next year. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Next year will be rough, but we will get to see some young guys play. Hopefully they give us hope and excitement. What sucks about this year, is there is nothing for the future to really watch except TT.
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What about Battle? He has 2 years left.
 

touchdownvikings said:
I think what Outsider said is correct. BTN said that our defensive efficiency is the worst in the B1G. I am not a basketball guy... But I take that to mean that while the Gophers may slow things down to prevent scoring on them, when you evaluate how they actually perform when they're on defense, they are the worst in the B1G. If it's true, as you have all said a ZILLION times that defense is just effort, then we need to stress that.
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Yeah, I'm of the belief they aren't out of position very often defensively. Totally agree they slow it down. Their pace is 65.6 possessions per game. Middle of the pack, for reference, is Michigan with 67.9, so a little over 2 more possessions per game from being smack dab in the middle. In general, thought their effort for the most part this season has been good on defense. They just aren't very talented.
Oh well.
 


Outsider said:
While our points per game looks good, I think in the pregame they mentioned we are the worst efficiency wise. The game pitted the most efficient offense verses the least efficient defense. Purdue has a ton of weapons and shoot it so well. I’m not sure how the hell they lost to Rutgers.
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Prior to the Rutgers game our efficiency was at .958 which was 126 in the country. Over the last 3 games before tonight that ballooned to 1.153 raising our season total to .987 and 167 in the country. The OSU game was a really bad with all the Off. Rebounds we gave up.
Even so, last year we finished with a rating of .991
 

kg21 said:
We have no length on the perimeter, our foot speed on the perimeter is not great.

Inside we have basically nothing as far as defense. We aren't big and don't get off our feet well.

To me, they are doing what they can and hustle. It's a simple lack of talent. They give what they have.

Our defensive points per game does not appear bad, but we run the shot clock down and play slow. That helps your defensive numbers.
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Hard to play defense when you are short, slow, and can’t foul because you have no depth
 

kg21 said:
Next year is going to be brutal, also. We've got next years class pretty well filled out.

It's so damn hard to recruit when kids see this year and what will be a struggle next year. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Next year will be rough, but we will get to see some young guys play. Hopefully they give us hope and excitement. What sucks about this year, is there is nothing for the future to really watch except TT.
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With a few scholarships still available, Coach Johnson will certainly be able to find some immediate help in the portal. Now that there is game film on how Coach Johnson wants to play as head coach and how much he has gotten out of this underrated Island of Misfit Toys, any basketball player can see how they can come together to do something special.

Basketball programs are easy to turn around compared to football. It just takes a couple of pieces. Imagine where this team would be if we simply gotten one quality big men like Rebraca who chose Iowa over us. This team might not win a conference championship next year but I imagine that another year of experience and recruiting more depth via HS and the portal will make a huge difference.

They have been outclassed by a few teams in the Big 10 but these unrated recruits have not looked out of place against anyone.
 

Some guy said:
Hard to play defense when you are short, slow, and can’t foul because you have no depth
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Amazing what they have accomplished despite these shortcomings. The great thing about Johnson filling up this year's roster at the portal was that we are not locked into these players for 4 years. The opportunity to upgrade is immediately available.
 

Looking at the Boilers, they are just on a whole 'nother level so far as depth and talent go. I mean realistically, that is a team which has great potential to go very, very deeply into the month of March.

These Gophers though, they just battle. To my eyes, they face a deficit of some kind in virtually every B10 contest, whether that disparity be in size, depth, numbers, talent, whatever. They're starting out at least somewhat behind the 8-ball in every game, but they don't seem to worry about that at all, rather they just keep working, and fighting. I fricken love that quality, man. There were more than a few points tonight where the Boilers could have just blown the doors right off Williams Arena and run us straight off the court, but these guys just kept at it. They maintained their composure, didn't get down or submit to frustration, and just kept at it to where this didn't become some humiliatingly blowout loss.

This team has got some bollocks, seriously, and I believe that is clearly a reflection of their coaching. The losses are a drag, but the larger picture to me given the mindset on display, it looks very bright. I really appreciate these guys and the fact they never give up.
 

ecoperson said:
With a few scholarships still available, Coach Johnson will certainly be able to find some immediate help in the portal. Now that there is game film on how Coach Johnson wants to play as head coach and how much he has gotten out of this underrated Island of Misfit Toys, any basketball player can see how they can come together to do something special.

Basketball programs are easy to turn around compared to football. It just takes a couple of pieces. Imagine where this team would be if we simply gotten one quality big men like Rebraca who chose Iowa over us. This team might not win a conference championship next year but I imagine that another year of experience and recruiting more depth via HS and the portal will make a huge difference.

They have been outclassed by a few teams in the Big 10 but these unrated recruits have not looked out of place against anyone.
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Coach Johnson has a bit of history for recruits to look at. IMO, its been impressive considering what he had going into the year and how the team has evolved. Its all about his ability to sell his program, get the guys he wants and then move forward. Battle is a huge building block along with healthy guys like Fox and Ihnen. TT is a project with potential along with the incoming FR. Thank goodness for the portal which BJ will have to rely on to fill the voids.

But lets face it. Its an uphill climb but not impossible. Give it two years and I hope we will be ready to compete.
 

I am hoping coach can fill out the roster with actual high school kids and not so much the portal. I'd rather he go completely young, take our lumps and build it that way. They will come out ahead in the long run.

Maybe one transfer big and that's it.

How many more spots will we have?
 

Some guy said:
Hard to play defense when you are short, slow, and can’t foul because you have no depth
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Been told right here on GH that the defense would be much better this season, with the current players on the roster.
 


BTChamp said:
Thompson looks like a scrapper. He gives that subtle shoulder on the pick, talks a little. Maybe the next Larry Bird.... Get under Edey's Adele's skin and maybe something good happens.
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OK, that might be a bit over the top.
 



kg21 said:
I am hoping coach can fill out the roster with actual high school kids and not so much the portal. I'd rather he go completely young, take our lumps and build it that way. They will come out ahead in the long run.

Maybe one transfer big and that's it.

How many more spots will we have?
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I mean I would be ok if you think HS kid is a building block and will stay.

The worst thing Ben can do is take to 4 year guy just take a HS guy that stuck on bench for 4 years.

I don't think we should be portal/transfer U, but I wouldnt object to 2-3 scholarship players being transfers on any given team going forward

You don't want an entire new team each year like we basically have this and next though

But that is reality of situation Ben inherited.
 

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