Ohio State Will Be a Battle

[gopherlaney]

Ohio State is 0-2. They have a lot of talent and are a big, physical team. We need to stay locked in after two good wins. THE BARN NEEDS TO BE ROCKING!


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[howeda7]

They will be angry and desperate.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Can't afford to give up many more home games. This is a big one. Gotta come out and take care of business.

 

[Nomellini]

Ohio State is 0-2. They have a lot of talent and are a big, physical team. We need to stay locked in after two good wins. THE BARN NEEDS TO BE ROCKING!


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Even if the Gophers turn out to be as good as we hope, there will be few, if any, cakewalks this year. The Gophers will need to be ready to go to war EVERY game.

 

[60's Guy]

I think we'll be in every game. I just don't feel like there are too many Big Ten games we will win comfortably. All a long this year we compete. We battle! We fight back! If we can continue that trait and at the same time become more confident...we are going to be a very tough out for anybody! But it's not going to be easy!

I agree with you Leo!

 

[GameDay]

This is coming from someone who's watched almost every Ohio State game this season. Here's the deal.

1) They just lost arguably their best/most versatile player for the season in Keita Bates-Diop
2) Their next best player JaQuan Lyle, while talented, is a head case and can't get his mind right most of the time to successfully lead his team. He also can't shoot the three-ball to save his life. The Barn is not going to be a friendly confines for him.
3) This team has ZERO depth off the bench. They essentially have 2 reserves who get some run, and they are nothing more than placeholders while the starters get some rest. You get any of their starting five in foul trouble or tired out and its game over.
4) They have no faith or confidence in themselves right now, and are down in the dumps. You can physically see it. Pounce on them early in the game and I believe they'll start caving in.

Go Gophs!

 

[ncgo4]

With our depth and OSU's lack of same should we expect the Goohers to come out with a full press all of the time?

 

[UpAndUnder43]

With our depth and OSU's lack of same should we expect the Goohers to come out with a full press all of the time?

The Gophers play 9 guys but it isn't great depth. Hurt and Konate don't see a lot of minutes and there will undoubtedly be foul trouble because there always is, especially against big teams. Hard to see Richard going to a full court press consistently.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

The Gophers play 9 guys but it isn't great depth. Hurt and Konate don't see a lot of minutes and there will undoubtedly be foul trouble because there always is, especially against big teams. Hard to see Richard going to a full court press consistently.

The term depth used around here isn't what some take it as. You're right, the depth argument equating to being able to press just doesn't compute.

However, the term depth in regards to quality of players coming off the bench does play pretty well for us.

There are more teams like OSU that are 5 deep in quality than not in college basketball. Gophers can go 7 deep for expected scoring on any given night. #8 can log minutes without being a liability and can even be a defensive stopper and #9 can log minutes without costing us much on the defensive end. #10 has quality b1g minutes under his belt already. Heck we could go to #11 and he has logged more minutes than a normal sophomore walk on guard (I hope he never plays a significant minute again).

That all said, none of that depth really provides adequate cover for end to end basketball in the way you would want with pressing style of bball. That's more about the guards we do have and their abilities than depth really. For us to run the pressing scheme many(including myself) expected this team to play, Pitino needs more Dorsey's than Mason's. And it looked like he was going that way in the beginning. Since then, his recruiting efforts have looked to change to be bigger, more physical guards and that could pay off given the B1G play being more physical.

That all said, this team will get it's "pace" stat not from pressing but from being very good in transition by pushing the break off of steals and quick change of possessions (long rebounds and blocks). Many of our players are quite versitile in that regard.

 

[tikited]

This is coming from someone who's watched almost every Ohio State game this season. Here's the deal.
2) Their next best player JaQuan Lyle, while talented, is a head case and can't get his mind right most of the time to successfully lead his team. He also can't shoot the three-ball to save his life. The Barn is not going to be a friendly confines for him.

We have seen in the past that type of player find the soft rim at the Barn and torch us. Hopefully he continues to be a head case for at least one more game.

 

[tmvander]

Hopefully we can get some 2018 recruits in the gym for this one!

 

[BballJones]

OSU is very physical - hopefully we can stay out of foul trouble. The guy that makes me the most nervous is Loving. He can shoot and has hurt us in the past. He's a tough matchup - think Amir gets the assignment?

 

[cjbfbp]

there will undoubtedly be foul trouble because there always is, especially against big teams

Except for last night, remarkably, but I guess NW isn't very "big" by conference standards. It was a fairly light fouling game on both sides until the end.

 

[cjbfbp]

I think we'll be in every game. I just don't feel like there are too many Big Ten games we will win comfortably.

Agreed. There seems to be an unusually low degree of separation between most of the teams in the conference this year. Highly touted Purdue beats Iowa easily but struggles in its next two games. Nebraska is 3-0 but every one was a squeaker. Our margin against Purdue might be one of the larger ones of the conference season.

 

[Holy Man]

They will be angry and desperate.

Always reason for concern. Buckeyes have quality players, but really struggle at the point. An excellent test for "handling success."

Semi-unrelated: Does a road win against the Cats get the casual fan more interested? I can see many of them saying, "Oh, that's just Northwestern-No big deal."

 

[UpAndUnder43]

There are more teams like OSU that are 5 deep in quality than not in college basketball. Gophers can go 7 deep for expected scoring on any given night. #8 can log minutes without being a liability and can even be a defensive stopper and #9 can log minutes without costing us much on the defensive end. #10 has quality b1g minutes under his belt already. Heck we could go to #11 and he has logged more minutes than a normal sophomore walk on guard (I hope he never plays a significant minute again).

That all said, this team will get it's "pace" stat not from pressing but from being very good in transition by pushing the break off of steals and quick change of possessions (long rebounds and blocks). Many of our players are quite versitile in that regard.

Agreed on all accounts. They have role players off the bench but I can't imagine them pressing for a full game or even a significant part of the game.

Coffey really changes the pace. He is so good at pushing the ball and breaking out for easy dunks, especially for a 6'8" wing. Plus he can handle the ball so well in transition that it helps a ton.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Always reason for concern. Buckeyes have quality players, but really struggle at the point. An excellent test for "handling success."

Semi-unrelated: Does a road win against the Cats get the casual fan more interested? I can see many of them saying, "Oh, that's just Northwestern-No big deal."

I bought tickets for Maryland today and it was hard to get good seats from the ticket office. Stub hub prices jumped last night as well. Not sure if it is just an increased demand from the usual fans but it seems to be more than that. Ticket office guy said it was a busy day for basketball and football.

 

[BballJones]

Always reason for concern. Buckeyes have quality players, but really struggle at the point. An excellent test for "handling success."

Semi-unrelated: Does a road win against the Cats get the casual fan more interested? I can see many of them saying, "Oh, that's just Northwestern-No big deal."

Most casual fans likely think Northwestern is still a doormat.

 

[StCroix]

OSU does not have the same presence inside that Purdue does and we neutralized that pretty well. Key will be keeping Lynch on the floor.

 

[Nomellini]

Our press has historically been moderately successful in the pre-conference season but largely counter-productive in the Big 10 season. Too many good enemy ball handlers. Too many easy buckets surrendered.

 

[MennoSota]

I cannot see a game in this league where we aren't in danger of losing if we don't bring our A game.
The B1G may not have an elite team this year, but they have great parity across the board. Any given night for any given team.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I cannot see a game in this league where we aren't in danger of losing if we don't bring our A game.
The B1G may not have an elite team this year, but they have great parity across the board. Any given night for any given team.

Agreed. If they bring the same effort they've given thus far, I don't see the Gophers get blown out by anyone. That said, I think the most difficult game will be at Wisconsin. Need to start making free throws across the board.

 

[MennoSota]

Agreed. If they bring the same effort they've given thus far, I don't see the Gophers get blown out by anyone. That said, I think the most difficult game will be at Wisconsin. Need to start making free throws across the board.

Indeed. Missed free throws will lose us a couple games in the B1G this season.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

OSU does not have the same presence inside that Purdue does and we neutralized that pretty well. Key will be keeping Lynch on the floor.

Didn't Purdues guy go for 30 and 22 rebounds and we had 3 bigs foul out. Hate to see what handled it poorly looks like.

 

[macgopher]

Agreed. If they bring the same effort they've given thus far, I don't see the Gophers get blown out by anyone. That said, I think the most difficult game will be at Wisconsin. Need to start making free throws across the board.

Free throws are key. One of these great high energy games the Gophers play will be a big disappointing loss because of free throws.

 

[GopherJake]

Free throws are key. One of these great high energy games the Gophers play will be a big disappointing loss because of free throws.

Gophers missed 14 free throws in one point OT loss to Michigan State.

 

[BballJones]

Naturally things could change, but I find it interesting that the Gophers only play 3 games yet this year vs. top 25 teams. Wisc twice and Indiana once. Obviously MSU, Maryland, etc. could get into the top 25, but just looking at things as of now.

 

[GoldenAle]

Should be a pretty rockin' time tomorrow night. Limited tickets left (a few rows upper deck), but "good" seats are few and far between. Should be a good one!

 

[Gold Vision]

Naturally things could change, but I find it interesting that the Gophers only play 3 games yet this year vs. top 25 teams. Wisc twice and Indiana once. Obviously MSU, Maryland, etc. could get into the top 25, but just looking at things as of now.

Indiana might not be ranked for long either.

 

[brianbmoser]

Naturally things could change, but I find it interesting that the Gophers only play 3 games yet this year vs. top 25 teams. Wisc twice and Indiana once. Obviously MSU, Maryland, etc. could get into the top 25, but just looking at things as of now.

Should be a pretty rockin' time tomorrow night. Limited tickets left (a few rows upper deck), but "good" seats are few and far between. Should be a good one!

Purdue was rated 15 when we played them

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