STrib blog: Is next year a rebuilding year for the Gophers?

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BleedGopher

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from the blog:

So is it a rebuilding year? That seems to be the popular thought. The Gophers are not on the cusp of any of the super early Top 25 rankings coming out, and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi didn’t even put them in with the seven Big Ten teams that made his ridiculously early preseason NCAA tournament bracket. Big Ten Network’s Brent Yarina actually put the Gophers DEAD LAST in his power rankings for next year, if you can believe it (Yes, even Rayno Ruiner thinks that’s a little harsh). Both national experts I recently spoke with – CBS Sports’ Jeff Borzello and NBC Sports’ Rob Dauster – concur that the Gophers will land safely in the bottom half of the league.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/208302471.html

Go Gophers!!
 

"So is it a rebuilding year?"

Answer is 'no'. Need to see how interior needs are addressed before season begins and a lot of movement could still occur (and be reversed.. never know, Joe could always come back). However, with Andre & Austin plus a number of upperclassmen on the roster... add in a Big Ten without the top heaviness of a year ago... and a tourney berth isn't out of the question. Probably should be a goal.

Still a number of variables to get sorted out in the coming months, but Gophers will probably project as a bubble-type team heading into the season.
 

It really depends what you consider a rebuilding year. I would characterize it as one, and it would have been with or without a coaching change. Anytime you lose four seniors, two of which were starters and the other two significant contributors, it's a sort of rebuilding.
 

We are extremely thin at the four spot. If and its a big if, we get Buckles, that would definitely help. We also have no idea how well the players will adjust to pressing and the run and gun in the big ten. We should have better ball handling and perimeter defense. I do not know if we are a better 3pt shooting team? We will have a ton of trouble on the boards. Purdue and Iowa move up and although Michigan and Ohio st. take a few losses they still have a ton of talent, joining Michigan St. at the top. Throw in the x factor team at Northwestern, and the transfers comming into Illinois, and the execution Bo gets out of the Badgers, and it will be another tough big ten year.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
"So is it a rebuilding year?"

Answer is 'no'. Need to see how interior needs are addressed before season begins and a lot of movement could still occur (and be reversed.. never know, Joe could always come back). However, with Andre & Austin plus a number of upperclassmen on the roster... add in a Big Ten without the top heaviness of a year ago... and a tourney berth isn't out of the question. Probably should be a goal.

Still a number of variables to get sorted out in the coming months, but Gophers will probably project as a bubble-type team heading into the season.
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Answer is 'yes'.
 



I think we'll have one of the best backcourts (Hollins bros) in the country next year. Anything that McNeil, Smith, and the new dre can add will be gravy.
 

What are we rebuilding to? Another ninth place finish? 8-10 in the conference? Please help me understand.
 

Why are so many people put off by the word rebuilding?
 





Since it's hilarious to have the audacity to deal in facts, I'm now proclaiming that we were Big Ten champions last year. If you argue with me, you're part of the "Big Ten standings police".
 

My points:
1. Anytime you fire a coach and hire from outside the program, it is a rebuilding year.
2. Simply by having a five year term of eligibility, every team is rebuilding every year.
3. College basketball is won or lost by your best players. Andre is the best player we have had for a long time. Austin could also take the next step in his game. If we have two first or second team All Big Ten, we will have a pretty good year.
3. Rebuilding is not a euphemism for lousy. I would be disappointed with not making the NCAA tournament.
 



We would have been in the exact same place if we didn't make a coaching change.

This is college basketball not professional sports and unless your top 7 players are underclassmen you are going to have changes every year.

The Gophers will be a bubble team and finish the season in the 6-9 range in the Big Ten with some good wins and some bad losses. Same as every year.
 

Winnipegopher said:
My points:
1. Anytime you fire a coach and hire from outside the program, it is a rebuilding year.
2. Simply by having a five year term of eligibility, every team is rebuilding every year.
3. College basketball is won or lost by your best players. Andre is the best player we have had for a long time. Austin could also take the next step in his game. If we have two first or second team All Big Ten, we will have a pretty good year.
3. Rebuilding is not a euphemism for lousy. I would be disappointed with not making the NCAA tournament.
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I agree, they are going to have a scorer that can concentrate on scoring and not bringing the ball up, they are going to have a playmaker playing PG, they have versatility with Austin playing both SG and SF, and they have some experience at center.

About the only thing missing is someone to step up as a strong rebounder at PF and provide some offensive firepower, and maybe a little depth, but with the addition of Smith and the emergence of Walker/Buggs/Osenieks hopefully that won't be a problem.
 

I actually think that Illinois last year is a good analogy for where we could end up next year. Team that gets a new coach, shoots a ton of threes, has a good backcourt with limited frontcourt, will win some games it shouldn't and lose some games it shouldn't, and will end up somewhere near the bubble. In my mind, considering a new coach, that would be a pretty good year.
 

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actually think that Illinois last year is a good analogy for where we could end up next year. Team that gets a new coach, shoots a ton of threes, has a good backcourt with limited frontcourt, will win some games it shouldn't and lose some games it shouldn't, and will end up somewhere near the bubble. In my mind, considering a new coach, that would be a pretty good year.
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And pretty typical
 

We very well may end up about where Tubby's/Monson's teams did, but I still think this is a transitional year. I think we all expect Pitino to take us to heights that Tubby/Monson could not. We won't be there yet, so I would consider this a rebuilding year...or maybe 'building year' is a better term because we're trying to get to a new level.
 

"Is next year a rebuilding year for the Gophers?"

Every year is a rebuilding year for every team. It is just that some teams have stronger foundations to start the project, but in rebuilding, the final product is determined by who is the NCAA Champion.
 

GopherHomer said:
We very well may end up about where Tubby's/Monson's teams did, but I still think this is a transitional year. I think we all expect Pitino to take us to heights that Tubby/Monson could not. We won't be there yet, so I would consider this a rebuilding year...or maybe 'building year' is a better term because we're trying to get to a new level.
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This I can get on board with. Totally agree.
 

station19 said:
Why are so many people put off by the word rebuilding?
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I don't quite understand that either. It seems to be quibbling over what at its essence is a highly subjective word. Rebuilding, retooling, etc etc., I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that with a new coach operating an entirely different system and style of play coming in, that there might very well be some hiccups and growing pains as the team adjusts to this new system, and that's not even counting the losses of Trevor, Rodney, and Joe. Still though, with the Hollins boys and EE, I do believe we have a very nice core of returning talent, so I think it's silly for basketball 'experts' to be placing us oh so prematurely all the way at the bottom of the B10 conference. That's fine by me though, as such low expectations offer an excellent opportunity to prove all those 'experts' wrong.
 

Seany said:
I don't quite understand that either. It seems to be quibbling over what at its essence is a highly subjective word. Rebuilding, retooling, etc etc., I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that with a new coach operating an entirely different system and style of play coming in, that there might very well be some hiccups and growing pains as the team adjusts to this new system, and that's not even counting the losses of Trevor, Rodney, and Joe. Still though, with the Hollins boys and EE, I do believe we have a very nice core of returning talent, so I think it's silly for basketball 'experts' to be placing us oh so prematurely all the way at the bottom of the B10 conference. That's fine by me though, as such low expectations offer an excellent opportunity to prove all those 'experts' wrong.
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I am also fine with the experts' expectations. I also agree with the statement that we can expect some hiccups and growing pains, but in any legitimate rebuilding year, I expect to see the team improve as the season goes on. One thing I would have trouble stomaching is another year where I feel significantly worse about my team at the end of the season than I do on January 1.
 

i dont think that we will have a huge drop off from last year to this year, we might not beat UCLA by 20 in the tourney but i do expect a tourney apearance, we lose mbakwe and williams but everyteam loses some key contributors, we will have maybe the best backcourt in the big ten with andre who could possibly lead the big ten in scoring and is arguably the best PG for next year, austin who is a top 5 SG, smith who averaged 14PPG at FIU, i dont really think other dre or mcniel will be that good but also we have eliason who i think will lead the big ten in blocks this year and also buckles, a former top 50 recruit, BTW what is his deal on him coming or not? i think a lineup of PG dre, SG malik smith, SG austin, PF buckles and C eliason will be a tourney team
 

Rebuild means something different to each reader. To some of us our feeling is the word doesn't apply. We have not been good for so long that we are not rebuilding. We haven't built anything yet. We are building every year. Once we fight for the conference championship or get to the sweet 16, then if we graduate or otherwise lose significant performers you could characterize it as rebuilding the following year. We lost three starters and another guy who banged a little inside. We have not replaced those people at all to date. Our perimeter is stronger than it was. But, our interior is woefully thin, unproven or non existent. Until we at least get some bodies to evaluate inside there are too many unknowns to anticipate improvement. We are starting over. New style, new performers, new coaches. We have two good guards and a center by default. The rest is unknown.
 

60's Guy said:
Rebuild means something different to each reader. To some of us our feeling is the word doesn't apply. We have not been good for so long that we are not rebuilding. We haven't built anything yet. We are building every year. Once we fight for the conference championship or get to the sweet 16, then if we graduate or otherwise lose significant performers you could characterize it as rebuilding the following year. We lost three starters and another guy who banged a little inside. We have not replaced those people at all to date. Our perimeter is stronger than it was. But, our interior is woefully thin, unproven or non existent. Until we at least get some bodies to evaluate inside there are too many unknowns to anticipate improvement. We are starting over. New style, new performers, new coaches. We have two good guards and a center by default. The rest is unknown.
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we have replaced coleman with malik smith and rodney with buckles, i think buckles could be just as productive as rodney was last year since he wasnt very productive
 

Gopher Warrior said:
Only one incoming frosh in a rebuilding year? Quite a rebuild.
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I was gonna say that it was a rebuilding year. But then this post knocked the stupidity right out of me. Pretty tough to argue that point.
 

Nothing solid on Buckles. Will he play here next year or not.....we don't know yet.
 

die hard gopher said:
we have replaced coleman with malik smith and rodney with buckles, i think buckles could be just as productive as rodney was last year since he wasnt very productive
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and we're implementing an entirely new game plan.

Although did we really even have one before?
 

Yes, I don't understand why everyone seems to think Buckles is a done deal. Big assumption, kind of like Black was.
 


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