BleedGopher
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per Sid:
The Gophers basketball team is not only playing well, but better than anyone expected this season. They are projected as a No. 7 seed for the NCAA tournament by ESPN.com, and CBSSports.com has them as a No. 5 seed. The Gophers’ RPI ranking of 16 gives them a chance for a high seed in the tournament.
The seed could get even higher if they close out the season by beating Nebraska at Williams Arena on Thursday and the Badgers at Wisconsin on Sunday, followed by a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament in Washington D.C. next week.
This is not only the first time for these players to be heading to the NCAA tournament and dealing with high expectations, but this also will be Richard Pitino’s first NCAA tournament as a head coach.
He was asked what it’s like taking a team used to being underdogs and getting them used to being the favorites.
“It’s funny, when everybody is on you and fans are on you, media is on you, you always tell the guys, ‘Block out the noise,’ ” Pitino said. “Well, it’s the same thing when everybody is praising you. It just has nothing to do with Thursday. Is it exciting that we’re playing well? Yes it is. It’s fun. It’s fun to be a part of and fun to have the town and the state and everybody excited about you, but with that being said, embrace it, enjoy it, but that’s irrelevant when the ball goes up Thursday.”
http://www.startribune.com/thrills-build-as-gophers-basketball-team-continues-to-win/415165684/
Go Gophers!!
The Gophers basketball team is not only playing well, but better than anyone expected this season. They are projected as a No. 7 seed for the NCAA tournament by ESPN.com, and CBSSports.com has them as a No. 5 seed. The Gophers’ RPI ranking of 16 gives them a chance for a high seed in the tournament.
The seed could get even higher if they close out the season by beating Nebraska at Williams Arena on Thursday and the Badgers at Wisconsin on Sunday, followed by a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament in Washington D.C. next week.
This is not only the first time for these players to be heading to the NCAA tournament and dealing with high expectations, but this also will be Richard Pitino’s first NCAA tournament as a head coach.
He was asked what it’s like taking a team used to being underdogs and getting them used to being the favorites.
“It’s funny, when everybody is on you and fans are on you, media is on you, you always tell the guys, ‘Block out the noise,’ ” Pitino said. “Well, it’s the same thing when everybody is praising you. It just has nothing to do with Thursday. Is it exciting that we’re playing well? Yes it is. It’s fun. It’s fun to be a part of and fun to have the town and the state and everybody excited about you, but with that being said, embrace it, enjoy it, but that’s irrelevant when the ball goes up Thursday.”
http://www.startribune.com/thrills-build-as-gophers-basketball-team-continues-to-win/415165684/
Go Gophers!!