STrib: Gophers basketball fills schedule with strong opponents to treat fans, test players

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

When Richard Pitino put the Gophers basketball schedule together for the 2019-20 season, one of the most important factors was a quality opponent for the fans to see them play at home in November.

Of course, everyone wanted Minnesota to play blue bloods such as Kansas, Duke or Kentucky, but those teams weren’t realistic choices for this.

The opponent Pitino eventually scheduled is tough enough.

DePaul (7-0) comes to play the Gophers (3-3) not intimidated at all, having already beaten Iowa and Boston College on the road. The Blue Demons aren’t ranked, but they are the most improved team in the Big East. They look like an NCAA tournament-caliber squad.

“This is a very, very important game for us,” Pitino said. “It’s a game that I have intentionally added, a Power Six opponent in this building for our fans. Obviously, it’s great for our program as well.”

The question the Gophers have yet to answer this season is this: Can they beat a high-major opponent?

Gophers basketball fills schedule with strong opponents to treat fans, test players

Gophers' eight early high-major foes challenge them to improve.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[builtbadgers]

Will be a good time. Depaul is a possible top 50 team.

 

[Block M]

Will be a good time. Depaul is a possible top 50 team.

They are much better than top 50. Gophers will have their hands full with Reed and Coleman-Lands.

 

[builtbadgers]

You may be right. They just do not ay like it and i think we kill them.

 

[Gopherlife]

You may be right. They just do not ay like it and i think we kill them.

It has already been a really interesting season, although some of it has to do with preconceived notions about teams. Depaul beat Iowa handily, and, yesterday, Iowa beat #12 Texas Tech while leading most or all of the game. I haven't looked it up, but it seems like there are fewer undefeated teams than usual at this point in the season. Depaul is still one of the few.

 

[builtbadgers]

It has already been a really interesting season, although some of it has to do with preconceived notions about teams. Depaul beat Iowa handily, and, yesterday, Iowa beat #12 Texas Tech while leading most or all of the game. I haven't looked it up, but it seems like there are fewer undefeated teams than usual at this point in the season. Depaul is still one of the few.

Will be the most wide open season of my life. There are under 30 undefeated teams left.