TOMMIES beat St Francis by 36 and hold them under 48 pts!!

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

Surprised that I haven't seen any comments on here yet, or really in the StarTrib about the Tommies and how they demolished St Francis...by more than the Gophs.

I get that our team is injured (Battle & Carrington), but the Tommies were also down a starter Bjorklund (one of their few guys over 6'6"). *I don't count Fox and Ihnen as real difference makers for these reasons:
-ihnen has essentially showed nothing in the 2 years he played except that he is tall and not Konate
-Fox has never played a D1 game - so hard to really project him as a key cog

The Tommies destroyed St Francis. If you haven't seen them play, check them out. With modern basketball it is hard to find a comparison as so few teams play true team basketball...but if one is to compare them to a modern team...it would be the Golden State Warriors (as Miller is an incredible 3pt shooter and the team in general shoots extremely high 3pt %) or the 2016 San Antonio Spurs - I say this purely on how they move the ball. They have an open shot but pass it for an even better open shot...and this happens multiple times on each possession.

Other reason to check them out, they have some young talent: Rohde, Lee, Blue (these guys are all stud freshmen) - give them two years and they will be scary.

They may win the Summit league this year (worst case is 3 years from now) - yet the Gophs won't play them.

Side note - they play Creighton while we play Western Michigan to open the season...maybe we should start scheduling better teams.

Go Gophs, Roll TOMS!

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Surprised that I haven't seen any comments on here yet, or really in the StarTrib about the Tommies and how they demolished St Francis...by more than the Gophs.

I get that our team is injured (Battle & Carrington), but the Tommies were also down a starter Bjorklund (one of their few guys over 6'6"). *I don't count Fox and Ihnen as real difference makers for these reasons:
-ihnen has essentially showed nothing in the 2 years he played except that he is tall and not Konate
-Fox has never played a D1 game - so hard to really project him as a key cog

The Tommies destroyed St Francis. If you haven't seen them play, check them out. With modern basketball it is hard to find a comparison as so few teams play true team basketball...but if one is to compare them to a modern team...it would be the Golden State Warriors (as Miller is an incredible 3pt shooter and the team in general shoots extremely high 3pt %) or the 2016 San Antonio Spurs - I say this purely on how they move the ball. They have an open shot but pass it for an even better open shot...and this happens multiple times on each possession.

Other reason to check them out, they have some young talent: Rohde, Lee, Blue (these guys are all stud freshmen) - give them two years and they will be scary.

They may win the Summit league this year (worst case is 3 years from now) - yet the Gophs won't play them.

Side note - they play Creighton while we play Western Michigan to open the season...maybe we should start scheduling better teams.

Go Gophs, Roll TOMS!

Just because there isn't a thread about it, doesn't mean there aren't comments.

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Surprised that I haven't seen any comments on here yet, or really in the StarTrib about the Tommies and how they demolished St Francis...by more than the Gophs.

I get that our team is injured (Battle & Carrington), but the Tommies were also down a starter Bjorklund (one of their few guys over 6'6"). *I don't count Fox and Ihnen as real difference makers for these reasons:
-ihnen has essentially showed nothing in the 2 years he played except that he is tall and not Konate
-Fox has never played a D1 game - so hard to really project him as a key cog

The Tommies destroyed St Francis. If you haven't seen them play, check them out. With modern basketball it is hard to find a comparison as so few teams play true team basketball...but if one is to compare them to a modern team...it would be the Golden State Warriors (as Miller is an incredible 3pt shooter and the team in general shoots extremely high 3pt %) or the 2016 San Antonio Spurs - I say this purely on how they move the ball. They have an open shot but pass it for an even better open shot...and this happens multiple times on each possession.

Other reason to check them out, they have some young talent: Rohde, Lee, Blue (these guys are all stud freshmen) - give them two years and they will be scary.

They may win the Summit league this year (worst case is 3 years from now) - yet the Gophs won't play them.

Side note - they play Creighton while we play Western Michigan to open the season...maybe we should start scheduling better teams.

Go Gophs, Roll TOMS!

So St. Thomas' DIII recruits are better than the former DII National Player of the year?

 

[Dupreefor3]

Good for the Tommies, it's too bad that freshman PG will hit the portal and go to a High Major before they are eligible for the NCAA's. If we miss out on Asuma, hopefully we are working on him in the shadows

 

[Spottedmuskie]

For sure, these guys are totally using St. Thomas to hit the portal and get better offers. No way they committ to St.Thomas knowing they could only possibly make the tourney once. Just like stud players at SDSU, UND, NDSU, Oral Roberts, stud players hit the portal from the summitt.

 

[Roland Brooks]

Blue and Lee are not high major at this point both have lots of work to do.

Good for the Tommies, it's too bad that freshman PG will hit the portal and go to a High Major before they are eligible for the NCAA's. If we miss out on Asuma, hopefully we are working on him in the shadows

abd

 

[Roland Brooks]

For sure, these guys are totally using St. Thomas to hit the portal and get better offers. No way they committ to St.Thomas knowing they could only possibly make the tourney once. Just like stud players at SDSU, UND, NDSU, Oral Roberts, stud players hit the portal from the summitt.

Don’t disagree with your point but when these guys signed UST was their best option for a reason. Rhode is a player

 

[leib0039]

Surprised that I haven't seen any comments on here yet, or really in the StarTrib about the Tommies and how they demolished St Francis...by more than the Gophs.

I get that our team is injured (Battle & Carrington), but the Tommies were also down a starter Bjorklund (one of their few guys over 6'6"). *I don't count Fox and Ihnen as real difference makers for these reasons:
-ihnen has essentially showed nothing in the 2 years he played except that he is tall and not Konate
-Fox has never played a D1 game - so hard to really project him as a key cog

The Tommies destroyed St Francis. If you haven't seen them play, check them out. With modern basketball it is hard to find a comparison as so few teams play true team basketball...but if one is to compare them to a modern team...it would be the Golden State Warriors (as Miller is an incredible 3pt shooter and the team in general shoots extremely high 3pt %) or the 2016 San Antonio Spurs - I say this purely on how they move the ball. They have an open shot but pass it for an even better open shot...and this happens multiple times on each possession.

Other reason to check them out, they have some young talent: Rohde, Lee, Blue (these guys are all stud freshmen) - give them two years and they will be scary.

They may win the Summit league this year (worst case is 3 years from now) - yet the Gophs won't play them.

Side note - they play Creighton while we play Western Michigan to open the season...maybe we should start scheduling better teams.

Go Gophs, Roll TOMS!

There is ZERO reason for the Gophers to play them. That is what you call a lose-lose scenario. If they win, who cares they are a summit league team with D3 recruits. If they lose its the end of the world and they use that against us in recruiting. It is the same reason we should never play SDSU/NDSU in football or why Iowa shouldnt play UNI in football.

I don't disagree we should schedule up more and not play the true worst teams in D1 but I see no reason to play these type teams. WI/Marq is different, they are both high major programs, those games should happen more for sure.

 

[Roland Brooks]

As Wisconsin plays UWGB tomorrow and plays them every year….

 

[Crappie]

There is ZERO reason for the Gophers to play them. That is what you call a lose-lose scenario. If they win, who cares they are a summit league team with D3 recruits. If they lose its the end of the world and they use that against us in recruiting. It is the same reason we should never play SDSU/NDSU in football or why Iowa shouldnt play UNI in football.

I don't disagree we should schedule up more and not play the true worst teams in D1 but I see no reason to play these type teams. WI/Marq is different, they are both high major programs, those games should happen more for sure.

If MN and ST are recruiting the same players, MN might be in trouble in most cases.

 

[MennoSota]

Yes, the Tommies are clearly a top 10 basketball team already. Their dominance is nearly complete and they will shortly be known as the Villanova if the Midwest. UMN might as well shut down the program and plow over the Barn to create green space. (/s)

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Don’t disagree with your point but when these guys signed UST was their best option for a reason. Rhode is a player

yes true, i'm sure they are hoping to get back to their Marquette/Kansas etc potential.

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

Just because there isn't a thread about it, doesn't mean there aren't comments.

There is ZERO reason for the Gophers to play them. That is what you call a lose-lose scenario. If they win, who cares they are a summit league team with D3 recruits. If they lose its the end of the world and they use that against us in recruiting. It is the same reason we should never play SDSU/NDSU in football or why Iowa shouldnt play UNI in football.

I don't disagree we should schedule up more and not play the true worst teams in D1 but I see no reason to play these type teams. WI/Marq is different, they are both high major programs, those games should happen more for sure.

That is the reasoning of a scared basketball supported (I understand the logic...but who cares).

The question then becomes...at what point then in the mind of all the people who say it's a lose-lose...does St Thomas become a better option then most of their Non-conference schedule? It would be great for local basketball and a potential rivalry.

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

Because we have worn our dancing shoes out over the last 15 years

For sure, these guys are totally using St. Thomas to hit the portal and get better offers. No way they committ to St.Thomas knowing they could only possibly make the tourney once. Just like stud players at SDSU, UND, NDSU, Oral Roberts, stud players hit the portal from the summitt.

 

[Spottedmuskie]

St. Thomas is at 234 on KenPom, 5th for summit even behind 0-3 NDSU. Minnesota sits at 119, a few spots behind Oral Roberts and two spots ahead of SDSU. Will be interesting to follow as the season goes along.

It wouldn't be a total lose/lose for MN, if we are a bubble team and beat the Summit champs who have a quality loss against Creighton, plus bringing in revenue for the one game at the U

 

[gopherguy15]

Not sure why St Thomas threads keep on popping up on a Gopher site...

We've been through this before. St Thomas grads want a game against the Gophers so if by chance an upset happens, they can flaunt that around for years, increase their state and national exposure, and try to get more fan support from the cities. Gopher fans (and Ben Johnson) don't care about St Thomas, know that it is a lose-lose situation, and beating the Tommies 9/10 times does absolutely nothing for the program.

No casual basketball fan is craving an annual Gopher/Tommies game.

Time to move on from this...

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

So St. Thomas' DIII recruits are better than the former DII National Player of the year?

A DII National Player a Year who's knees have exploded (twice)

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

Not sure why St Thomas threads keep on popping up on a Gopher site...

We've been through this before. St Thomas grads want a game against the Gophers so if by chance an upset happens, they can flaunt that around for years, increase their state and national exposure, and try to get more fan support from the cities. Gopher fans (and Ben Johnson) don't care about St Thomas, know that it is a lose-lose situation, and beating the Tommies 9/10 times does absolutely nothing for the program.

No casual basketball fan is craving an annual Gopher/Tommies game.

Time to move on from this...

At some point, beating us isn't a big talking point. We are a perennial lower level big ten team (hopefully the young talent Ben brought in (and keeps) will turn that around).

 

[PhiloVance]

Are the Tommies handing out athletic scholarships?

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Are the Tommies handing out athletic scholarships?

always have

 

[leib0039]

That is the reasoning of a scared basketball supported (I understand the logic...but who cares).

The question then becomes...at what point then in the mind of all the people who say it's a lose-lose...does St Thomas become a better option then most of their Non-conference schedule? It would be great for local basketball and a potential rivalry.

It has nothing to do with being scared, its being logical. I will provide an example. After the vikings got stopped on the goal line I am sure I could have put up $50,000 on the Bills to win, there was a 99.9% shot they win. But why would I risk $50k to win say $50, its not that I am "scared" its just not logical. Same thing here.

What does a rivalry with UST do for the gophers? I say absolutely nothing. Why do we want to spotlight a team that has potential to take our recruits/donors/NIL opportunities. and in basketball, it only takes one kid to go yep I want to stay home and well the gophers lost to UST last year I will just go there.

Maybe I am wrong who knows, I just think UST going to D1 and potentially doing well does nothing positive for the Gophers, I think it can only hurt. It is adding competition where there wasn't any. I understand the point, handle our business and don't worry about the other schools, I think that is not looking at the facts. If WI was what NW is in basketball I guarantee you we keep some of those kids going across the border. Why would we even want to have that concern that UST does something similar, even if its really a remote shot.

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

It has nothing to do with being scared, its being logical. I will provide an example. After the vikings got stopped on the goal line I am sure I could have put up $50,000 on the Bills to win, there was a 99.9% shot they win. But why would I risk $50k to win say $50, its not that I am "scared" its just not logical. Same thing here.

What does a rivalry with UST do for the gophers? I say absolutely nothing. Why do we want to spotlight a team that has potential to take our recruits/donors/NIL opportunities. and in basketball, it only takes one kid to go yep I want to stay home and well the gophers lost to UST last year I will just go there.

Maybe I am wrong who knows, I just think UST going to D1 and potentially doing well does anything positive for the Gophers, I think it can only hurt. It is adding competition where there wasn't any. I understand the point, handle our business and don't worry about the other schools, I think that is not looking at the facts. If WI was what NW is in basketball I guarantee you we keep some of those kids going across the border. Why would we even want to have that concern that UST does something similar, even if its really a remote shot.

The State of MN is such a unicorn with only 1 D1 school until recently. The HS basketball talent pool in MN is very deep. Competition makes everyone better, it encourages innovations / investments / changes to how you recruited. MN has essentially had a D1 monopoly in MN for 100+ years and it hasn't worked...so why would it suddenly change?

 

[Spaulding!No!]

ST coach and players are better than the U. Coyle screwed up and should got that guy from ST. They are magic and play the game the right way. Over and over and over

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Not sure why St Thomas threads keep on popping up on a Gopher site...

We've been through this before. St Thomas grads want a game against the Gophers so if by chance an upset happens, they can flaunt that around for years, increase their state and national exposure, and try to get more fan support from the cities. Gopher fans (and Ben Johnson) don't care about St Thomas, know that it is a lose-lose situation, and beating the Tommies 9/10 times does absolutely nothing for the program.

No casual basketball fan is craving an annual Gopher/Tommies game.

Time to move on from this...

They keep popping up because it is another D1 team that is located 10 miles away. I'm sure there are local ties but I don't know why people are surprised that locality brings interest (there is a MN HS football thread with tons of replies, a D2/D3 football thread with tons of replies). Locality will always being interest. Not by everyone, but by some.

Of course St. Thomas grads care about the game, that's natural. It's not some nefarious hope to flaunt, it's just a fun part of sports.

Gopher fans are pretty divided. We have those fans that pretend to not understand why there would be any interest in discussing the D1 school 10 miles away. We have fans that talk about it being a no-win situation and insane to even consider while ignoring how Iowa and Wisconsin schedule those types of team. But we also have Gopher fans who think it would be kind of fun.

As far as casual basketball fans give a crap about any game really but the casual LOCAL basketball fan would care way more about St. Thomas and the U than just about any game on the schedule. I guarantee you my friends who casually follow college basketball would check the score and watch St. Thomas vs. the U before they would ever even consider watching St. Francis vs. the U. It's not even close.

The only correct answer for not wanting the game is that you think losing to them would hurt us and beating them wouldn't help us. I get that argument. I think it's boring, but I get it. Any other argument feels a lot like a cope.

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

They keep popping up because it is another D1 team that is located 10 miles away. I'm sure there are local ties but I don't know why people are surprised that locality brings interest (there is a MN HS football thread with tons of replies, a D2/D3 football thread with tons of replies). Locality will always being interest. Not by everyone, but by some.

Of course St. Thomas grads care about the game, that's natural. It's not some nefarious hope to flaunt, it's just a fun part of sports.

Gopher fans are pretty divided. We have those fans that pretend to not understand why there would be any interest in discussing the D1 school 10 miles away. We have fans that talk about it being a no-win situation and insane to even consider while ignoring how Iowa and Wisconsin schedule those types of team. But we also have Gopher fans who think it would be kind of fun.

As far as casual basketball fans give a crap about any game really but the casual LOCAL basketball fan would care way more about St. Thomas and the U than just about any game on the schedule. I guarantee you my friends who casually follow college basketball would check the score and watch St. Thomas vs. the U before they would ever even consider watching St. Francis vs. the U. It's not even close.

The only correct answer for not wanting the game is that you think losing to them would hurt us and beating them wouldn't help us. I get that argument. I think it's boring, but I get it. Any other argument feels a lot like a cope.

This

 

[MennoSota]

They keep popping up because it is another D1 team that is located 10 miles away. I'm sure there are local ties but I don't know why people are surprised that locality brings interest (there is a MN HS football thread with tons of replies, a D2/D3 football thread with tons of replies). Locality will always being interest. Not by everyone, but by some.

Of course St. Thomas grads care about the game, that's natural. It's not some nefarious hope to flaunt, it's just a fun part of sports.

Gopher fans are pretty divided. We have those fans that pretend to not understand why there would be any interest in discussing the D1 school 10 miles away. We have fans that talk about it being a no-win situation and insane to even consider while ignoring how Iowa and Wisconsin schedule those types of team. But we also have Gopher fans who think it would be kind of fun.

As far as casual basketball fans give a crap about any game really but the casual LOCAL basketball fan would care way more about St. Thomas and the U than just about any game on the schedule. I guarantee you my friends who casually follow college basketball would check the score and watch St. Thomas vs. the U before they would ever even consider watching St. Francis vs. the U. It's not even close.

The only correct answer for not wanting the game is that you think losing to them would hurt us and beating them wouldn't help us. I get that argument. I think it's boring, but I get it. Any other argument feels a lot like a cope.

It's 3.8 miles...

 

[Gopher Teeth]

Not sure why St Thomas threads keep on popping up on a Gopher site...

We've been through this before. St Thomas grads want a game against the Gophers so if by chance an upset happens, they can flaunt that around for years, increase their state and national exposure, and try to get more fan support from the cities. Gopher fans (and Ben Johnson) don't care about St Thomas, know that it is a lose-lose situation, and beating the Tommies 9/10 times does absolutely nothing for the program.

No casual basketball fan is craving an annual Gopher/Tommies game.

Time to move on from this...

This is becoming a weird obsession for some.

 

[bga1]

They keep popping up because it is another D1 team that is located 10 miles away. I'm sure there are local ties but I don't know why people are surprised that locality brings interest (there is a MN HS football thread with tons of replies, a D2/D3 football thread with tons of replies). Locality will always being interest. Not by everyone, but by some.

Of course St. Thomas grads care about the game, that's natural. It's not some nefarious hope to flaunt, it's just a fun part of sports.

Gopher fans are pretty divided. We have those fans that pretend to not understand why there would be any interest in discussing the D1 school 10 miles away. We have fans that talk about it being a no-win situation and insane to even consider while ignoring how Iowa and Wisconsin schedule those types of team. But we also have Gopher fans who think it would be kind of fun.

As far as casual basketball fans give a crap about any game really but the casual LOCAL basketball fan would care way more about St. Thomas and the U than just about any game on the schedule. I guarantee you my friends who casually follow college basketball would check the score and watch St. Thomas vs. the U before they would ever even consider watching St. Francis vs. the U. It's not even close.

The only correct answer for not wanting the game is that you think losing to them would hurt us and beating them wouldn't help us. I get that argument. I think it's boring, but I get it. Any other argument feels a lot like a cope.

Currently that is exactly the argument and the correct thing to do. Once Ben builds a strong team and brand here, I think we should play them and it would be great for everyone. Until then, there is no reason to risk it, in the short term there is no gain to be had.

 

[ethomasp31]

Surprised that I haven't seen any comments on here yet, or really in the StarTrib about the Tommies and how they demolished St Francis...by more than the Gophs.

I get that our team is injured (Battle & Carrington), but the Tommies were also down a starter Bjorklund (one of their few guys over 6'6"). *I don't count Fox and Ihnen as real difference makers for these reasons:
-ihnen has essentially showed nothing in the 2 years he played except that he is tall and not Konate
-Fox has never played a D1 game - so hard to really project him as a key cog

The Tommies destroyed St Francis. If you haven't seen them play, check them out. With modern basketball it is hard to find a comparison as so few teams play true team basketball...but if one is to compare them to a modern team...it would be the Golden State Warriors (as Miller is an incredible 3pt shooter and the team in general shoots extremely high 3pt %) or the 2016 San Antonio Spurs - I say this purely on how they move the ball. They have an open shot but pass it for an even better open shot...and this happens multiple times on each possession.

Other reason to check them out, they have some young talent: Rohde, Lee, Blue (these guys are all stud freshmen) - give them two years and they will be scary.

They may win the Summit league this year (worst case is 3 years from now) - yet the Gophs won't play them.

Side note - they play Creighton while we play Western Michigan to open the season...maybe we should start scheduling better teams.

Go Gophs, Roll TOMS!

Who cares....go tell it to the St Thomas Fan Board.

 

[MNJay]

What does a rivalry with UST do for the gophers? I say absolutely nothing. Why do we want to spotlight a team that has potential to take our recruits/donors/NIL opportunities. and in basketball, it only takes one kid to go yep I want to stay home and well the gophers lost to UST last year I will just go there.

Maybe I am wrong who knows, I just think UST going to D1 and potentially doing well does nothing positive for the Gophers, I think it can only hurt. It is adding competition where there wasn't any. I understand the point, handle our business and don't worry about the other schools, I think that is not looking at the facts. If WI was what NW is in basketball I guarantee you we keep some of those kids going across the border. Why would we even want to have that concern that UST does something similar, even if its really a remote shot.

There is ZERO possibly of St. Thomas stealing Gopher recruits.

They are our farm-system. The ones who do the best there can earn a Gopher transfer offer.