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Road to Selection Sunday: There Will Be (An) Answer(s), Let It Be(gin)
By SelectionSunday
RAISE THE CURTAIN, U.S.A. -- We're finally here. The 2014-15 college basketball season kicks off Friday. If it seems like we've had to wait a little longer to get it rolling, it's because, uh, we have. Last season Opening Night was Nov. 8.
But it's not just that. Something else is making the wait seem excruciatingly longer. Unlike last November when the Gophers opened the season by dipping their toes in the water vs. Lehigh at Williams Arena, this time around, well. ... maybe not doing that so much. In his second year on the Gopher bench, savvy-beyond-his-years Boy Wonder Richard Pitino decided to have his battle-tested squad dive headlong off a cliff into the 2014-15 season, scheduling a juicy, made-for-TV (6:30 p.m./ESPN) opener vs. his father Rick's uber-talented #11 Louisville Cardinals.
We'll find out right out of the shoot what some of the Gophers strengths and weaknesses are. Go ahead, call me a masochist, but I kinda' like the Gophers starting the season vs. an opponent who'll immediately test their limits, rather than one who'll serve as nothing more than a glorified public scrimmage (see Gophers' non-conference home schedule, excluding perhaps Western Kentucky). One thing for certain about playing Louisville on Opening Night, we'll instantly start getting some answers to our off-season questions about the Gophers. Bring it on.
Now, gentle readers, please allow RTSS a gaggle of preseason ramblings/predictions before we start the long road ahead to Indianapolis (though it always seems to speed by too fast). Comments and (constructive) criticisms are always encouraged.
Who Ya' Got?
Blue Ribbon Yearbook's Projections of Gophers' Non-Conference Opponents: Louisville (4th, ACC), Western Kentucky (5th, Conference USA), Franklin Pierce (none), UMBC (7th, America East), Saint John's (4th, Big East), Georgia (5th, SEC) or Gonzaga (1st, WCC), Wake Forest (11th, ACC), Western Carolina (8th, Southern), North Dakota (9th, Big Sky), Southern U (7th, SWAC), Seattle (3rd, WAC), Furman (5th, Southern), UNC-Wilmington (9th, CAA).
Power 6 Sleeper from Each Conference: Miami (ACC), Seton Hall (Big East), GOPHERS (Big Ten), Kansas State (Big XII), Utah (Pac 12), Auburn (SEC).
Sleepers from the "Next 6" Conferences: Temple (AAC), Rhode Island (A-10), Toledo (MAC), Illinois State (Missouri Valley), Boise State (Mountain West), Saint Mary's (WCC).
Preseason Top 25 Power 6 Team Most Likely to Disappoint: #24 Nebraska.
Preseason Top 25 Non-Power 6 Team Most Likely to Disappoint: #19 SMU.
The Big Ten Standings: (1) Wisconsin, (2) Ohio State, (3) Michigan State, (4) Michigan, (5) Iowa, (6) GOPHERS, (7) Illinois, (8) Nebraska, (9) Maryland, (10) Purdue, (11) Indiana, (12) Penn State, (13) Northwestern, (14) Rutgers.
1st Team All-Big Ten: Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Sam Dekker (Wisconsin), Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin), Caris LeVert (Michigan), Terran Petteway (Nebraska). Special mention to DJ Newbill (Penn State).
Big Ten Player of the Year: Sam Dekker (Wisconsin).
Big Ten Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan (Wisconsin).
Off the Radar Minnesota Kid Who Could Make Some Noise: Osseo's Wheeler Baker, a 6-2 freshman guard for 2-time defending America East champion Albany.
Under No Circumstances Should You Cheer For: Kentucky (ridiculously talented with a charismatic but greasy coach) or North Carolina (if I have to tell you why, you haven't been paying attention).
Coaches Most Likely to Get Fired: Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech), Oliver Purnell (DePaul).
National Player of the Year: Marcus Paige, North Carolina (the above doesn't mean I won't thoroughly enjoy watching this smooth-as-butter magician play the PG position).
National Coach of the Year: Mark Few, Gonzaga (yes, I'm aware Zags haven't been to the Elite 8 under Few's watch).
Big Ten NCAA Qualifiers (7): Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, GOPHERS, Ohio State, Wisconsin.
Big Ten NIT invitees (2): Maryland, Nebraska.
Last 4 In (headed to Dayton): Miami, New Mexico, Oregon, Seton Hall.
First 4 Out: George Washington, Nebraska, Notre Dame, San Francisco.
Gophers in the NCAA: Lose to Kansas in Round of 32 in Omaha.
Most Likely Mid- to Small-Major to Reach Sweet 16: Louisiana Tech (Conference USA), Harvard (Ivy League), Georgia State (Sun Belt).
Will the Big Ten Finally Win It All?: Nope. Make no mistake, there still will be precious few nights off in the Big Ten regular season, but the Badgers look like the only legit title contender. I just don't like their odds of making back-to-back Final Fours. Big Boys OSU, MSU, and Michigan all reloading. Last national championship for the conference is MSU-2000 and counting. ...
Final Four: Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, Villanova.
National Champion: North Carolina (it's destiny Tar Heels win it all with all the crap surrounding that program).
Eye-Balling Opening Weekend
Finally, here's a peek at what you need to pay attention to Opening Weekend, with game time & TV network noted, where applicable.
Friday, Nov. 14
William & Mary @ Florida, 5 (SECN) -- I'm bullish on Bill & Mary, can they hang with the Gators?
Tennessee vs. VCU, 5:30 (CBSSN) - Donnie Tyndall era begins in Knoxville.
Western Carolina @ Mississippi State, 5:30 -- WCU the Gophers' Dec. 5 opponent.
Bryant @ UConn, 6 -- Defending champs start life without Shabazz Napier. Hope Huskies' tummies aren't growling too much.
Cleveland State @ Iona, 6 -- Quality mid-majors expected to contend for their conference crowns.
Georgia @ Georgia Tech, 6 -- Gophers could see Bulldogs in New York.
Mississippi Valley State @ Indiana, 6 (BTN) -- Are the natives getting restless in Bloomington?
Morgan State @ Penn State, 6 -- Nitts intrigue me.
NJIT @ Saint John’s, 6 -- SJU the Gophers' Nov. 26 NIT semifinal opponent
NC-Asheville @ Wake Forest, 6 -- Gophers will be in Winston-Salem on Dec. 2.
Samford @ Purdue, 6 -- First of two this weekend for Boilers.
UMass-Lowell @ Ohio State, 6 -- Probably more intriguing if it were hockey.
GOPHERS vs. Louisville, 6:30 (ESPN) -- The call here is Louisville 74, Gophers 67.
Wagner @ Maryland, 6:30 -- Terps debut as a Big Ten team.
College of Charleston @ Furman, 7 -- Gophers host Paladins on Dec. 22.
Houston Baptist @ Northwestern, 7 -- Chris Collins has 'em excited in the Windy City.
North Dakota State @ Texas, 7 -- How will the Bison look without all those seniors?
UMBC @ Akron, 7 -- Gophers host UMBC on Nov. 22.
Georgia Southern @ Illinois, 8 -- Ahmad Starks a guy to watch with Tracy Abrams out for the season.
Louisiana Tech @ Southern U, 8 -- Gophers host Southern on Dec. 10.
Loyola-Maryland @ Texas Tech, 8 -- Another father-son coaching matchup, Tubby vs. G.G.
Michigan State @ Navy, 8 (CBSSN) -- Sparty will party in Maryland like it's 1999; football team plays the next day vs. Terrapins.
Northern Kentucky @ Wisconsin, 8 (BTN) -- First look at the clear Big Ten favorite.
Sacramento State @ Gonzaga, 8 -- Hopefully Gophers see Zags in Nov. 28 NIT title game.
Hampton @ Iowa, 8:30 -- Squad still has plenty of talent, but can Hawkeyes overcome loss of Devyn Marble, and not be scarred by their late-season swoon?
Texas State @ Seattle, 9 -- Gophers welcome Cameron Dollar's SU squad to Williams Arena on Dec. 19.
Wofford @ Stanford, 11 (Pac12N) -- If you're one of the few with access to the Pac 12 Network, what better way to end your day than thinking about what could have been if Reid Travis had decided to become a Gopher.
Saturday, Nov. 15 -- A perfect "light day" to go see Garth Brooks -- that's right, I said Garth Brooks -- with my significant other. She's an excellent planner. Not a game day for either her squad (Kansas) or mine (Gophers)!
North Dakota @ Northern Iowa, 1 -- Gophers will see the Fighting Sioux on Dec. 8.
Austin Peay @ Western Kentucky, 4 -- Gophers' Nov. 18 home opener vs. WKU likely the only non-Big Ten home game where they may need to break a sweat.
NC-Wilmington @ Old Dominion, 6 -- UNCW comes calling Dec. 27, the Gophers' final delicious home cupcake before the Big Ten grind.
Sunday, Nov. 16
Chattanooga @ Wisconsin, noon (ESPNNews) -- Badgers complete their 2-0 weekend on ESPN4.
Northern Kentucky @ Nebraska, 1 -- We start finding out how the 'Huskers will handle expectations.
IUPUI @ Purdue, 2 (BTN) -- Game 1 of a BTN tripleheader.
Fordham @ Penn State, 4 (BTN) -- Game 2 of the BTN tripleheader.
Coppin State @ Illinois, 5 -- Let's be glad this one's not on the BTN.
George Washington @ Rutgers, 6 (BTN) -- Game 3 of the BTN trifecta gives us our first look at Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights are playing a quality opponent. Solid way to end Opening Weekend.
As always, don't forget to enjoy the journey!
By SelectionSunday
RAISE THE CURTAIN, U.S.A. -- We're finally here. The 2014-15 college basketball season kicks off Friday. If it seems like we've had to wait a little longer to get it rolling, it's because, uh, we have. Last season Opening Night was Nov. 8.
But it's not just that. Something else is making the wait seem excruciatingly longer. Unlike last November when the Gophers opened the season by dipping their toes in the water vs. Lehigh at Williams Arena, this time around, well. ... maybe not doing that so much. In his second year on the Gopher bench, savvy-beyond-his-years Boy Wonder Richard Pitino decided to have his battle-tested squad dive headlong off a cliff into the 2014-15 season, scheduling a juicy, made-for-TV (6:30 p.m./ESPN) opener vs. his father Rick's uber-talented #11 Louisville Cardinals.
We'll find out right out of the shoot what some of the Gophers strengths and weaknesses are. Go ahead, call me a masochist, but I kinda' like the Gophers starting the season vs. an opponent who'll immediately test their limits, rather than one who'll serve as nothing more than a glorified public scrimmage (see Gophers' non-conference home schedule, excluding perhaps Western Kentucky). One thing for certain about playing Louisville on Opening Night, we'll instantly start getting some answers to our off-season questions about the Gophers. Bring it on.
Now, gentle readers, please allow RTSS a gaggle of preseason ramblings/predictions before we start the long road ahead to Indianapolis (though it always seems to speed by too fast). Comments and (constructive) criticisms are always encouraged.
Who Ya' Got?
Blue Ribbon Yearbook's Projections of Gophers' Non-Conference Opponents: Louisville (4th, ACC), Western Kentucky (5th, Conference USA), Franklin Pierce (none), UMBC (7th, America East), Saint John's (4th, Big East), Georgia (5th, SEC) or Gonzaga (1st, WCC), Wake Forest (11th, ACC), Western Carolina (8th, Southern), North Dakota (9th, Big Sky), Southern U (7th, SWAC), Seattle (3rd, WAC), Furman (5th, Southern), UNC-Wilmington (9th, CAA).
Power 6 Sleeper from Each Conference: Miami (ACC), Seton Hall (Big East), GOPHERS (Big Ten), Kansas State (Big XII), Utah (Pac 12), Auburn (SEC).
Sleepers from the "Next 6" Conferences: Temple (AAC), Rhode Island (A-10), Toledo (MAC), Illinois State (Missouri Valley), Boise State (Mountain West), Saint Mary's (WCC).
Preseason Top 25 Power 6 Team Most Likely to Disappoint: #24 Nebraska.
Preseason Top 25 Non-Power 6 Team Most Likely to Disappoint: #19 SMU.
The Big Ten Standings: (1) Wisconsin, (2) Ohio State, (3) Michigan State, (4) Michigan, (5) Iowa, (6) GOPHERS, (7) Illinois, (8) Nebraska, (9) Maryland, (10) Purdue, (11) Indiana, (12) Penn State, (13) Northwestern, (14) Rutgers.
1st Team All-Big Ten: Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Sam Dekker (Wisconsin), Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin), Caris LeVert (Michigan), Terran Petteway (Nebraska). Special mention to DJ Newbill (Penn State).
Big Ten Player of the Year: Sam Dekker (Wisconsin).
Big Ten Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan (Wisconsin).
Off the Radar Minnesota Kid Who Could Make Some Noise: Osseo's Wheeler Baker, a 6-2 freshman guard for 2-time defending America East champion Albany.
Under No Circumstances Should You Cheer For: Kentucky (ridiculously talented with a charismatic but greasy coach) or North Carolina (if I have to tell you why, you haven't been paying attention).
Coaches Most Likely to Get Fired: Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech), Oliver Purnell (DePaul).
National Player of the Year: Marcus Paige, North Carolina (the above doesn't mean I won't thoroughly enjoy watching this smooth-as-butter magician play the PG position).
National Coach of the Year: Mark Few, Gonzaga (yes, I'm aware Zags haven't been to the Elite 8 under Few's watch).
Big Ten NCAA Qualifiers (7): Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, GOPHERS, Ohio State, Wisconsin.
Big Ten NIT invitees (2): Maryland, Nebraska.
Last 4 In (headed to Dayton): Miami, New Mexico, Oregon, Seton Hall.
First 4 Out: George Washington, Nebraska, Notre Dame, San Francisco.
Gophers in the NCAA: Lose to Kansas in Round of 32 in Omaha.
Most Likely Mid- to Small-Major to Reach Sweet 16: Louisiana Tech (Conference USA), Harvard (Ivy League), Georgia State (Sun Belt).
Will the Big Ten Finally Win It All?: Nope. Make no mistake, there still will be precious few nights off in the Big Ten regular season, but the Badgers look like the only legit title contender. I just don't like their odds of making back-to-back Final Fours. Big Boys OSU, MSU, and Michigan all reloading. Last national championship for the conference is MSU-2000 and counting. ...
Final Four: Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, Villanova.
National Champion: North Carolina (it's destiny Tar Heels win it all with all the crap surrounding that program).
Eye-Balling Opening Weekend
Finally, here's a peek at what you need to pay attention to Opening Weekend, with game time & TV network noted, where applicable.
Friday, Nov. 14
William & Mary @ Florida, 5 (SECN) -- I'm bullish on Bill & Mary, can they hang with the Gators?
Tennessee vs. VCU, 5:30 (CBSSN) - Donnie Tyndall era begins in Knoxville.
Western Carolina @ Mississippi State, 5:30 -- WCU the Gophers' Dec. 5 opponent.
Bryant @ UConn, 6 -- Defending champs start life without Shabazz Napier. Hope Huskies' tummies aren't growling too much.
Cleveland State @ Iona, 6 -- Quality mid-majors expected to contend for their conference crowns.
Georgia @ Georgia Tech, 6 -- Gophers could see Bulldogs in New York.
Mississippi Valley State @ Indiana, 6 (BTN) -- Are the natives getting restless in Bloomington?
Morgan State @ Penn State, 6 -- Nitts intrigue me.
NJIT @ Saint John’s, 6 -- SJU the Gophers' Nov. 26 NIT semifinal opponent
NC-Asheville @ Wake Forest, 6 -- Gophers will be in Winston-Salem on Dec. 2.
Samford @ Purdue, 6 -- First of two this weekend for Boilers.
UMass-Lowell @ Ohio State, 6 -- Probably more intriguing if it were hockey.
GOPHERS vs. Louisville, 6:30 (ESPN) -- The call here is Louisville 74, Gophers 67.
Wagner @ Maryland, 6:30 -- Terps debut as a Big Ten team.
College of Charleston @ Furman, 7 -- Gophers host Paladins on Dec. 22.
Houston Baptist @ Northwestern, 7 -- Chris Collins has 'em excited in the Windy City.
North Dakota State @ Texas, 7 -- How will the Bison look without all those seniors?
UMBC @ Akron, 7 -- Gophers host UMBC on Nov. 22.
Georgia Southern @ Illinois, 8 -- Ahmad Starks a guy to watch with Tracy Abrams out for the season.
Louisiana Tech @ Southern U, 8 -- Gophers host Southern on Dec. 10.
Loyola-Maryland @ Texas Tech, 8 -- Another father-son coaching matchup, Tubby vs. G.G.
Michigan State @ Navy, 8 (CBSSN) -- Sparty will party in Maryland like it's 1999; football team plays the next day vs. Terrapins.
Northern Kentucky @ Wisconsin, 8 (BTN) -- First look at the clear Big Ten favorite.
Sacramento State @ Gonzaga, 8 -- Hopefully Gophers see Zags in Nov. 28 NIT title game.
Hampton @ Iowa, 8:30 -- Squad still has plenty of talent, but can Hawkeyes overcome loss of Devyn Marble, and not be scarred by their late-season swoon?
Texas State @ Seattle, 9 -- Gophers welcome Cameron Dollar's SU squad to Williams Arena on Dec. 19.
Wofford @ Stanford, 11 (Pac12N) -- If you're one of the few with access to the Pac 12 Network, what better way to end your day than thinking about what could have been if Reid Travis had decided to become a Gopher.
Saturday, Nov. 15 -- A perfect "light day" to go see Garth Brooks -- that's right, I said Garth Brooks -- with my significant other. She's an excellent planner. Not a game day for either her squad (Kansas) or mine (Gophers)!
North Dakota @ Northern Iowa, 1 -- Gophers will see the Fighting Sioux on Dec. 8.
Austin Peay @ Western Kentucky, 4 -- Gophers' Nov. 18 home opener vs. WKU likely the only non-Big Ten home game where they may need to break a sweat.
NC-Wilmington @ Old Dominion, 6 -- UNCW comes calling Dec. 27, the Gophers' final delicious home cupcake before the Big Ten grind.
Sunday, Nov. 16
Chattanooga @ Wisconsin, noon (ESPNNews) -- Badgers complete their 2-0 weekend on ESPN4.
Northern Kentucky @ Nebraska, 1 -- We start finding out how the 'Huskers will handle expectations.
IUPUI @ Purdue, 2 (BTN) -- Game 1 of a BTN tripleheader.
Fordham @ Penn State, 4 (BTN) -- Game 2 of the BTN tripleheader.
Coppin State @ Illinois, 5 -- Let's be glad this one's not on the BTN.
George Washington @ Rutgers, 6 (BTN) -- Game 3 of the BTN trifecta gives us our first look at Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights are playing a quality opponent. Solid way to end Opening Weekend.
As always, don't forget to enjoy the journey!
