Also have to remember that the sport has changed in many ways in the last 20 years. Once upon a time, a good player from MN might fall through the cracks.
today, any decent player is in a travelling AAU program and plays in events across the country. The internet can find a good kid anywhere and put them on the national stage. There is year-round coverage of basketball, recruiting, AAU and more on the internet. There are no secrets, no diamonds in the rough falling through the cracks. If there is a decent player in MN, then Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, etc all know about him (or her.)
In today's environment, would a Kevin McHale stay home if he was being recruited by every big-name coach in the country? Would a Mark Olberding have stayed home? no way to know.
But, the point is, basketball has changed and it's harder to keep the best kids at home because they have far more options than ever before. you can't count on kids giving the Gophers a 'home-town discount.'
if the Gophers want to keep the best in-state kids, they almost have to recruit them harder than the big-name teams, because the Gophers cannot offer them the big incentive: "come here and you can play for a National title and be on all the big TV games."
the Gophers cannot offer that. Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc can make that offer. That is a huge advantage for other schools.
