Player Predictions

[DeathClutch]

MVP: Hollins- I think Hollins is going to have a a big year. 17-18ppg is not out of the question.

Biggest Freshman Contributor: Martin/Mason-Tough to choose just one without seeing them play, but both are going to be relied on for quality minutes off of the bench.

Best Defensive Player: Eliason- He fouls too much, but their is no doubt he is one of the better rim protectors and rebounders in the conference.

Most Improved: McNeil- The great thing about Mcneil is that I never saw him out of position defensively last year. He was very timid offensively however and I think that will change this year.

Most Exciting Player:Mathieu/Martin- When watching the first exhibition game last year Mathieu quickly became a favorite with his speed/athleticism. Martin is going to be a fan favorite for many years to come. We sorely missed a frontcourt player, last year, who has the strength and athleticism of Martin.

 

[GameDay]

MVP: Mathieu
Freshman: Mason
D: Squirrel
MIP: King
Exciting: Martin
Favorite: Big Mo

 

[gogopher]

Mason looks like he has an alter ego on the court,really excited to see how he fairs.Signing a 4star pg should be plenty of motivation,although I don't think he needs it,he looks like a man on a mission on the court.

 

[XMan]

MVP: Hollins
Freshman: Mason
D: Eliason
MIP: McNeil
Exciting: Martin

 

[BballJones]

MVP: Mathieu - most dynamic player
Freshman: Martin - Mason should be good, but Martin's energy will be contagious
D: Eliason - no reason he can't be a blocking/rebounding machine this year
MIP: Hollins - if Hollins has another tough year, Gophers will struggle to make the tourney
Exciting: Mathieu - he's just so fun to watch (Martin will have some moments I'm sure too)

 

[Artie Yamamoto]

I saw Hollins and Mathieu out in the park the other day. They can really toss a frisbee around.

 

[GopherDude]

MVP: Mathieu
Freshman: Mason
D: Morris
MIP: McNeil
Exciting: Hollins

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

MVP: Mathieu
Freshman: Mason
D: Morris
MIP: McNeil
Exciting: Hollins

Kevin Payton Award (Towel twirler): Lofton & Shell
Wally Award (Sad puppy face): Buggs

I hope Mo can take the bulk of the minutes (25ish) and put up 13 & 7.

 

[Jigga]

Kevin Payton Award (Towel twirler): Lofton & Shell
Wally Award (Sad puppy face): Buggs

I hope Mo can take the bulk of the minutes (25ish) and put up 13 & 7.

I hope Buggs figures out what he needs to do to get on the court more. I think he can help us especially in March.

 

[RichardWhat's Happening?]

I hope Buggs figures out what he needs to do to get on the court more. I think he can help us especially in March.

Here's how I currently look at our frontcourt situation going into the season. Walker and Eliason will likely eat up all of the minutes at the 5 spot, unless there is foul trouble, in which case one of the other post guys can slide over for a few extra minutes. I think King will likely have a solidified role all season of around 20 mpg.

That leaves about 20 mpg at the 4 spot for Martin, Buggs, Gaston, and Konate. I'd say all four of those guys are somewhat unknowns at the moment. If I had to guess how it plays out, I'd say they will all get their crack at a rotation spot in the pre-B1G portion of the schedule. By the time the B1G season rolls around, I would imagine one of the 4 is given a bigger role than the others based on performance...most likely Martin. The others would just get fill-in minutes here and there the rest of the way.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

I think King will likely have a solidified role all season of around 20 mpg.

That leaves about 20 mpg at the 4 spot for Martin, Buggs, Gaston, and Konate.

I'd put King closer to the 25mpg, maybe even 30 in a close game unless Martin or one of these guys is ready to really step up. Best case IMO come B1G season, King is around 20mpg, Martin at 15 and the scraps to the others.

 

[XMan]

If they red short either gaston or Kanote, then one of them should get some minutes at center.

King 25 to 30 at power forward
Martin 10 to 15 at power forward
Gaston or Kanote 5 at center and power forward
Buggs 5 at power and small forward

 

[XMan]

The best news could be that squirrel and McNeil both play so well at the 3 that there aren't minutes available for others.

 

[Jigga]

Here's how I currently look at our frontcourt situation going into the season. Walker and Eliason will likely eat up all of the minutes at the 5 spot, unless there is foul trouble, in which case one of the other post guys can slide over for a few extra minutes. I think King will likely have a solidified role all season of around 20 mpg.

That leaves about 20 mpg at the 4 spot for Martin, Buggs, Gaston, and Konate. I'd say all four of those guys are somewhat unknowns at the moment. If I had to guess how it plays out, I'd say they will all get their crack at a rotation spot in the pre-B1G portion of the schedule. By the time the B1G season rolls around, I would imagine one of the 4 is given a bigger role than the others based on performance...most likely Martin. The others would just get fill-in minutes here and there the rest of the way.

Mchale said in Buggs' Summer Series write up that the staff now views Buggs as a Combo-Forward,
so I'm assuming he will be able to get (at least) scrap minutes at both SF and PF,

if fouls or injuries(God forbid) become an issue at various positions he will may be relied upon...
I'm just hoping he figures it out like McHale said because I forsee times this season we will probably need his services.

 

[WanderingGopher]

Here's how I currently look at our frontcourt situation going into the season. Walker and Eliason will likely eat up all of the minutes at the 5 spot, unless there is foul trouble, in which case one of the other post guys can slide over for a few extra minutes. I think King will likely have a solidified role all season of around 20 mpg.

That leaves about 20 mpg at the 4 spot for Martin, Buggs, Gaston, and Konate. I'd say all four of those guys are somewhat unknowns at the moment. If I had to guess how it plays out, I'd say they will all get their crack at a rotation spot in the pre-B1G portion of the schedule. By the time the B1G season rolls around, I would imagine one of the 4 is given a bigger role than the others based on performance...most likely Martin. The others would just get fill-in minutes here and there the rest of the way.

Konate is a center, and will get spot minutes to help get him ready to take over next year when Eliason and Walker are gone.

Buggs (if healthy and ready to go) probably gets some minutes at both the 3 and 4, and/or Martin could do the same. If necessary we could go to zone D when that happens. I think King plays 30 min/game barring injury or foul trouble.

Diedhou by all reports is raw and is a 4, and it probably wouldn't surprise anyone if he redshirted.

 

[WanderingGopher]

Also, I'll wait until Diedhou and Konate are both on campus and enrolled before penciling them in (particularly Diedhou, whom I don't think is even in the country yet). Supposedly they passed the clearinghouse and haven't heard of any expected difficulties, but seems like one never knows, esp with foreign players.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

Konate is a center, and will get spot minutes to help get him ready to take over next year when Eliason and Walker are gone

Diedhou by all reports is raw and is a 4, and it probably wouldn't surprise anyone if he redshirted.

Agree with both. We will need to get Konate's feet wet and ready for next season. I hope they can get him 5mpg just to get him ready for the big role it looks like he will have next season.

 

[die hard gopher]

I'd be very surprised if Konate didn't redshirt. 5 minutes per game would be a waist of a year of eligibility.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

I'd be very surprised if Konate didn't redshirt. 5 minutes per game would be a waist of a year of eligibility.

I'm just throwing 5mpg out there, no idea if they could get him in for 8ish, but I don't see many available if Mo and EE stay healthy.
Not when you are expected to start and play major minutes the following season. Wiscy Frank averaged 7.7 as a frosh, Big Mo only got 6.6mpg in '12-13.

What did Hagen and Spencer, guys like that get as a freshman? Most centers get very limited minutes as freshmen.

 

[gogopher]

If hoop dreams predictions are close,we fighting for final 4
If Dayday is what u advertise and King is who y'all think he is
Martin Morris Dorsey a couple more 4stars
Zach a spark off the bench we champs
But that's the "Hoop dream"
NM..

 

[98VQueens]

If hoop dreams predictions are close,we fighting for final 4
If Dayday is what u advertise and King is who y'all think he is
Martin Morris Dorsey a couple more 4stars
Zach a spark off the bench we champs
But that's the "Hoop dream"
NM..

Sipping on the syrup?

 

[GoodasGold]

If hoop dreams predictions are close,we fighting for final 4
If Dayday is what u advertise and King is who y'all think he is
Martin Morris Dorsey a couple more 4stars
Zach a spark off the bench we champs
But that's the "Hoop dream"
NM..

Exactly!

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

If hoop dreams predictions are close,we fighting for final 4

What exact bold predictions are you referring to? Seems pretty reasonable to me.

 

[gall0249]

Kevin Payton Award (Towel twirler): Lofton & Shell Wally Award (Sad puppy face): Buggs I hope Mo can take the bulk of the minutes (25ish) and put up 13 & 7.

I strongly disagree with Loftons ability to twirl towels effectively. There's nothing that shows he will be able to step and compete with Kendal.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

I strongly disagree with Loftons ability to twirl towels effectively. There's nothing that shows he will be able to step and compete with Kendal.

He's got a big Hollins-like smile... Shell is in serious trouble.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

He's got a big Hollins-like smile... Shell is in serious trouble.

Who steps up and becomes the defacto dancer along side Buggs? That was Austin Hollins last year... Shell has some moves but Austin was #2 behind buggs.... Can Lofton dance?

 

[RichardWhat's Happening?]

I'd be very surprised if Konate didn't redshirt. 5 minutes per game would be a waist of a year of eligibility.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if he doesn't redshirt this season for a few reasons:

1. Konate will likely be needed for a big chunk of minutes at Center the following season once EE and Mo graduate. Need to get his feet wet a little bit this upcoming season in my opinion, no matter how small of a role that may turn out to be. That's why I said he might get some minutes at the 4 since EE and Mo should play all the minutes they can handle at the 5.

2. I think the Gophers would prefer to keep the 2015 class at four freshman only in order to keep more of a balance between the classes. By redshirting anyone, you basically add a fifth player to that class.

3. Pure speculation on this one, but I get the impression that Richard maybe thinks he will be able to recruit better prospects down the road. Not that I view Konate as a waste of a scholarship at all, but a redshirt year means another year on scholarship, which means another year to wait before offering a new recruit.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

2. I think the Gophers would prefer to keep the 2015 class at four freshman only in order to keep more of a balance between the classes. By redshirting anyone, you basically add a fifth player to that class

-There has to be a balance between wasting a year of eligibility on a freshman who only plays limited minutes and wasting a scholarship on a redshirt season... you can't give many guys 5 year scholarships to play 4 years.

-How would you like to redshirt him, then come big ten season Mo or EE get hurt and we have to burn his redshirt after not playing him in all those early games where he could have gained some valuable on the court experience.

I give it about a 2% chance he redshirts and that's on the high side.

3. Pure speculation on this one, but I get the impression that Richard maybe thinks he will be able to recruit better prospects down the road. Not that I view Konate as a waste of a scholarship at all, but a redshirt year means another year on scholarship, which means another year to wait before offering a new recruit.

Seems guys like die hard don't understand this simple concept.

I'd be very surprised if Konate didn't redshirt. 5 minutes per game would be a waist of a year of eligibility.

 

[die hard gopher]

-There has to be a balance between wasting a year of eligibility on a freshman who only plays limited minutes and wasting a scholarship on a redshirt season... you can't give many guys 5 year scholarships to play 4 years.

-How would you like to redshirt him, then come big ten season Mo or EE get hurt and we have to burn his redshirt after not playing him in all those early games where he could have gained some valuable on the court experience.

I give it about a 2% chance he redshirts and that's on the high side.



Seems guys like die hard don't understand this simple concept.

That is the point of redshirting.

 

[die hard gopher]

I just can't see Konate playing while Gaston redshirts. Gaston immediately adds the size, strength, length and athleticism that we lacked at PF last year even if he is raw offensively. Joey doesn't have any of that while Martin adds some of that he still isn't quite as physically mature as Gaston plus lacks an inch or two on both height and length. Konate doesn't provide nearly as much at the center position that we didn't have last year compared to what Gaston immediately brings to PF. If we aren't going to redshirt anybody thats fine but i just can't see us redshirting Gaston while Konate plays.