PiPress: Gophers slump showing in their body language, former player Walter Bond says

[BleedGopher]

"Two weeks ago, this team was on cloud nine," Bond said. "They've gone from being on top of the world to a point where everybody is frustrated. It's only been two weeks. So to me, you have to go back thinking like when you're out there on the playground having fun and competing. The team that was at Northwestern didn't look like it was having fun. Hopefully, Tubby can get them back to having fun and enjoying the moment."

"When your jumper is not falling, can you do other things?" Bond said. "That's why defense is important; rebounding is important. You don't need a lot of confidence to play defense, rebound or make a steal. A lot of times, if you put too much focus on your shot falling, of course, you're going to get down. If Rodney Williams, Austin Hollins and some of these players want to play at the next level, they have to learn how to bounce back."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_22469255/gophers-slump-showing-their-body-language

Go Gophers!!

 

[SelectionSunday]

Gophers should channel their inner Victor Oladipo

Good stuff from Walter. Gopher players (and coaches) should heed his advice.

I hope Gopher players were watching the Indiana-Michigan State game on Sunday. If they want an A-1 example of how a player can significantly impact a game without scoring (though he certainly did that, too), look no further than Victor Oladipo's performance vs. Spartacular. The best individual performance I've seen anywhere all season, and it's not even close. His hands and feet were everywhere. And he was having a h*ll of a lot of fun, too.

 

[MotherNight]

They haven't looked to be having fun. At least a lot of the problems the Gophers are having are mental, not physical. Meaning, they have the ability to be the number 8 team we saw hold Michigan State almost scoreless at the end of the first B1G game. And blow out Illinois at a venue that's given us lots of problems. It's a long season, and there's no reason they can't get it back. And it's fair to point out, the only thing they've really done WRONG is lost to NU.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Honestly, that is how they nearly won the Wisconsin game - defense and committing fewer turnovers than the Badgers. It represents a recovery from the awful defense they were playing against Indiana and Michigan and the terrible ball security against those teams and Northwestern. They have to recognize that if they keep doing those things well and get their offense back on track, they can be as tough as any team in the league.

 

[tmvander]

Walter Bond came and spoke at our school when I was a senior in high school...there was a teacher vs student basketball game where he played for the teachers...he tried to get cocky and got rejected by the rim trying to dunk...good speaker but had to tell that story.

 

[PavedWithGold]

Good interview with Bond. It seems to me that tonight's matchup with Nebraska is a good fit to restore confidence in our squad. Not neccessarily because Nebraska is a bottom feeder in the B1G, but because they want to run. This Gopher team has to run to be effective offensively. Fast breaks = layups & dunks = fun = confidence.

 

[From the Barn]

Good interview with Bond. It seems to me that tonight's matchup with Nebraska is a good fit to restore confidence in our squad. Not neccessarily because Nebraska is a bottom feeder in the B1G, but because they want to run. This Gopher team has to run to be effective offensively. Fast breaks = layups & dunks = fun = confidence.

Nebraska is the third slowest playing team in the Big Ten. They don't like to run.

 

[FanSinceTheFifties]

Good interview with Bond. It seems to me that tonight's matchup with Nebraska is a good fit to restore confidence in our squad. Not neccessarily because Nebraska is a bottom feeder in the B1G, but because they want to run. This Gopher team has to run to be effective offensively. Fast breaks = layups & dunks = fun = confidence.

This Gopher team has to pass to be effective offensively.

 

[macgopher]

This Gopher team has to pass to be effective offensively.

We need a win tonight, but do you really gain confidence playing a team with a worse record or a team with equal record or a team ahead in the standings? I know my answer.

 

[station19]

Good interview with Bond. It seems to me that tonight's matchup with Nebraska is a good fit to restore confidence in our squad. Not neccessarily because Nebraska is a bottom feeder in the B1G, but because they want to run. This Gopher team has to run to be effective offensively. Fast breaks = layups & dunks = fun = confidence.

^

Why did we take Neb and PSU again?

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Great to see the team with the swagger back. Hopefully they can dispatch with Iowa with the same level of ease and then keep it going against MSU. With Illinois peeing the bed, we only have three remaining ranked opponents to prove we can still beat the conference elite post-four-game-losing-streak, and it would be nice to get one at the Izzone.