gopherhoopsguy
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Get fired up for Wednesday
I agree with all except #6. This starting 5 could go toe-to-toe with 97. The bench would get blown out though. Quincy Lewis, Charles Thomas an co. They went 10 deep. This bench has IW and not too much else.
Word. This is why I'm shaking my head at this Final Four talk. We've seen what a FF team looks like, and this is not it. I'll be overjoyed if the Gophs are playing in the second weekend of the Tournament. The NCAA's are such a minefield: a top 20 team would have to play a top 25 team right away in the SECOND ROUND. It's a meat grinder; nothing is certain.
As much as people bandy about Final Four talk now, I don't recall any talk like that in the preseason in '97 (although the pre-message board world creates a huge asterisk on that). The first mention of Final Four in 97 came from Fran Fraschilla after the Gophers dominated St. John's at home, and his word was "sleeper" in the Final Four conversation. That team was coming off a first round NIT exit the previous year (although jobbed by the committee in not getting in).
I too would be ecstatic to see them playing the second weekend. There are way too many variables to predict much more than that now, the biggest one being the bench. The weak B1G this year could be to our advantage though. Perhaps the starters can get a bit more of a break against the bottom feeders of the conference, lessening the chance of injury. Alas....
Word. This is why I'm shaking my head at this Final Four talk. We've seen what a FF team looks like, and this is not it. I'll be overjoyed if the Gophs are playing in the second weekend of the Tournament. The NCAA's are such a minefield: a top 20 team would have to play a top 25 team right away in the SECOND ROUND. It's a meat grinder; nothing is certain.
Word. This is why I'm shaking my head at this Final Four talk. We've seen what a FF team looks like, and this is not it. I'll be overjoyed if the Gophs are playing in the second weekend of the Tournament. The NCAA's are such a minefield: a top 20 team would have to play a top 25 team right away in the SECOND ROUND. It's a meat grinder; nothing is certain.
I love our team, but watching the Duke-Florida game last night brought me back down to earth regarding expectations for Minnesota. Those teams are on another level.