Pioneer Press: More needed from slumping captains Mason, Murphy

[BleedGopher]

per Chad:

In need of an emotional boost for two of the Gophers’ captains, men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino enlisted the help of the team’s third captain.

After an overtime loss to Wisconsin Saturday, the Gophers’ third setback in a row, Pitino asked Akeem Springs to spend time this week with junior guard Nate Mason and sophomore forward Jordan Murphy. The goal: get them reinvigorated before Wednesday’s 6 p.m. tip-off at Ohio State.

While Mason and Murphy entered this season with high expectations, and big parts of the Gophers’ 15-2 start, both have been mired in a slump since the Gophers’ last victory — against Ohio State at Williams Arena on Jan. 8.

“They work. If you talk to Coach (Pitino), they’re playing hard,” Springs said. “That’s where you would be disappointed, if they weren’t playing hard. But as long as they’re getting shots up, as long as they’re doing that, I think they’ll be fine.”

http://www.twincities.com/2017/01/2...e-needed-from-slumping-captains-mason-murphy/

Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

STrib: Gophers' basketball skid matched by slumps of Nate Mason, Jordan Murphy

“I’ve done a horrible job of leading,” Mason said before the Wisconsin game. “That’s on me. I have to get better at that. It gets me out of my comfort zone where I have to be more vocal than I normally am. The team needs me to do that and I’m willing to.”

Murphy opened the Big Ten season with 12 points and a career-high 21 rebounds in a 75-74 overtime loss against Michigan State. But he hasn’t scored in double figures in five consecutive games and is shooting 22-for-54 (40.7 percent) in Big Ten games. He leads the team with 16 turnovers in seven conference games.

“He’s not a great shooter; he’s not a great scorer,” Pitino said. “He needs to get over that. We talked about that, ‘That doesn’t mean you’re not a great player. You’ll get to that point.’ ”

Pitino had a one-on-one talk Monday with Murphy about not being frustrated with his slowly developing post game. The 6-6, 240-pound San Antonio native was an All-Big Ten freshman last season because he was a tenacious offensive rebounder and strong finisher at the rim.

His skills were a work in progress, but he still dominated at times.

Murphy is trying to demonstrate an expanded offensive game, but he hasn’t been effective putting the ball on the floor and shooting consistently from the outside (3-for-18 from three-point range).

“I don’t see that as his game,” Pitino said. “He can still be darn good without doing those things.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...slumps-of-nate-mason-jordan-murphy/411711976/

Go Gophers!!