***OFFICIAL PURDUE AT MINNESOTA IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

[jblass]

You are 100% right, the offensive scheme is nuts. The concept of putting Payne out near the arc when he can't or won't shoot or attack off the drive is just nuts. It allows the other team to lay off of him and the rest of the guys play 4 on 5. You have Garcia who is comfy out there and can drive and shoot from range. Putting him out there and Payne on the block would make a ton of sense but we don't do it.

Could not agree with you more. Plus putting Garcia at the top and keeping Payne low may have opened up more scoring opportunities for Payne. It was very frustrating watching Payne standing there wide open and only looking for someone to hand the ball to.

 

[Gophs24]

Wrong. Our hopes for this team were based on Battle, Garcia, and Cooper. We thought with good reason Battle and Garcia would be a top tandem in the conference.

Garcia has been modestly good on balance, Cooper has been fair, and Battle has been terrible.

The freshmen were never going to carry the load.

but they were supposed to be better that what they have been

 

[BarnBurner]

but they were supposed to be better that what they have been

Yup. Just look back on the posts from the gh coaches...........

 

[jblass]

I think JOJ will be an asset. He is athletic and finishes at the hoop and plays hard on defense.

I don't think he'll be a starter in the future by a JYD type.

I like JOJ but he needs to develop an outside shot. Same for Payne.

 

[bga1]

but they were supposed to be better that what they have been

Yep and that is the big concern about next year too. Wait until Christie and Evans get here! They will be frosh and the "wait until 2025 crowd" will be back in action. Ben has to go out and find a couple of quick guards. What would lil Dre, who Pitino dug out of the weeds do for this team? The first month following this season is going to be the biggest of Ben's coaching career up to that point.

 

[gophereric30]

Wrong. Our hopes for this team were based on Battle, Garcia, and Cooper. We thought with good reason Battle and Garcia would be a top tandem in the conference.

Garcia has been modestly good on balance, Cooper has been fair, and Battle has been terrible.

The freshmen were never going to carry the load.

100% correct! The freshman are gonna do their inconsistent thing every game. Can only hope they get better each game. In order for us to be competitive we need 45 or more points from Garcia, Battle, and Cooper. Against Ohio State we got that. Last night they scored 11!

 

[Spaulding!No!]

‘These go to eleven’

 

[jamiche]

After tOSU game I said the gophers would win one of the two home games this week. I'm done making predictions.

 

[stocker08]

You do realize that everyone we play has freshman vastly outperforming ours.

You do realize this, right?

Our freshman are supposed to be the reason none of this is a problem.

False.

What year is the gopher basketball program in? How many years has UST been in D1? How many guys on the U roster are D3 players (a few)? How many are on the UST roster (50%)?

Any win in year 2 is good. Any loss is expected. Half their roster is D3, they have 2 D1 transfer who rarely play (most likely because they couldn’t play at their previous schools * Milwaukee and liberty) and 5 recruits who were for D1 (four of which are freshmen.

Any wins at that program are stunning. And losses there are actually justified as winning as they actually have to play and rely on their freshmen (unlike gophers). Plus, they are playing for four 2025 when they can go to NCAA tourney… which they may make sooner than the gophers

UST is already being built on a shitty foundation. I mean....21 point loss to the Fighting Roos? Clearly the roster is garbage and the coach sucks.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

If you want to go to college UST. If you want to go to college UST. If you want to go to college but you haven't got the knowledge if you want to go to college UST

 

[PhiloVance]

TT in for Samuels, it's happening!

TT out of the dog house for 8 minutes...in a hopeless cause.

 

[kg21]

TT out of the dog house for 8 minutes...in a hopeless cause.

I don't want to pile on TT, but last year, many liked his future. Just put a few pounds on him and he will help a lot.

I think he's regressed.

This is why I want to see something from these freshman, because so far, YIKES!

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Once TT turned down the opportunity to get in the tourney game. Pure gold.

 

[Formerswish]

Could not agree with you more. Plus putting Garcia at the top and keeping Payne low may have opened up more scoring opportunities for Payne. It was very frustrating watching Payne standing there wide open and only looking for someone to hand the ball to.

Could not agree with you more. Plus putting Garcia at the top and keeping Payne low may have opened up more scoring opportunities for Payne. It was very frustrating watching Payne standing there wide open and only looking for someone to hand the ball to.

I think the reason they have Payne out there is that he's strong with the ball in his hands, he passes fairly well, and they'd like to hit him after a hand-off as he rolls to the hoop. It's just that it hasn't been very successful. And for the life of me I don't know why Payne doesn't at least try a 10 footer or drive and spin to the hoop, he would do it on occasion in high school, but it's not happening.

And I'm still in the camp that says that even though Henley has been pretty awful this year, he will end up one of their better players by the time he's done here. The kid has talent, and he's lost his confidence. Yes, there are ACTUALLY some players who take longer to thrive when they get to this level of play. Amazing!

 

[PhiloVance]

I don't want to pile on TT, but last year, many liked his future. Just put a few pounds on him and he will help a lot.

I think he's regressed.

This is why I want to see something from these freshman, because so far, YIKES!

Regression or confidence?

 

[CPTMidnight]

At the game last night. Easy to make jokes at the expense of the team. I am trying to find something positive - but it is tough.

Someone mentioned Ola Joseph had a good game – seems like a stretch. It did seem like he and Payne were frustrating the giant at times.

With Edey out it seemed like we could kind of hang with them.

We held Purdue to 61? Seems which seems positive but to win we needed to hold them to under 40 – so mission NOT accomplished there, not even close. I thought it was clear Purdue eased off the gas as we got into the 2nd half.

I’m filing this one under - “Never had a chance” – and moving on in life. We were not winning this without shooting “lights out”. I am putting the embarrassing part of the showing completely on Ben. This was a total miss on his part.



Today is a new day. I predict we have another win in the next week and a total of 2 in the next 14 days. Go Gophers!

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

At the game last night. Easy to make jokes at the expense of the team. I am trying to find something positive - but it is tough.

Someone mentioned Ola Joseph had a good game – seems like a stretch. It did seem like he and Payne were frustrating the giant at times.

With Edey out it seemed like we could kind of hang with them.

We held Purdue to 61? Seems which seems positive but to win we needed to hold them to under 40 – so mission NOT accomplished there, not even close. I thought it was clear Purdue eased off the gas as we got into the 2nd half.

I’m filing this one under - “Never had a chance” – and moving on in life. We were not winning this without shooting “lights out”. I am putting the embarrassing part of the showing completely on Ben. This was a total miss on his part.



Today is a new day. I predict we have another win in the next week and a total of 2 in the next 14 days. Go Gophers!

This is a good way to think about it.

I don't think Olo-Joseph necessarily had a good game, but he competed hard - even against Edey. He played with an edge and you could envision him scoring, rebounding, and playing with an edge over the next few years.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

This is a good way to think about it.

I don't think Olo-Joseph necessarily had a good game, but he competed hard - even against Edey. He played with an edge and you could envision him scoring, rebounding, and playing with an edge over the next few years.

that's the good - and bad - side to a game like that.

in the middle of a rout, the players that stand out are the ones who ignore the scoreboard and keep working. JOJ - to my eyes - looked like he was busting his butt till the final horn. some of the other players - not so much.

and that is the real problem. players can have bad shooting nights. that happens. but effort is a personal matter. if your shot isn't falling, you can still hustle, rebound, play defense and try to do something positive.

you can't coach effort. the players either provide it, or they don't.