USA Today: College basketball's way-too-early preseason top 25 (#23. Mnnesota)

[watertown 1987 guy n]

I think we are a top 25 team if both Coffey returns and we get a starting caliber grad transfer PF. But until then, I wouldn't put us there.

This. Until then we’re middle Big10 at best.

 

[gopherall]

This. Until then we’re middle Big10 at best.

Middle big ten could be 23.

 

[PMWinSTP]

#23 in Men's Basketball? Had to check to make sure I was in the right forum. That means the Gophs would be around a 5 seed in next year's tournament. Where is the improvement going to come from? Our best player this century is graduating and the team's other star might leave. There's no major immediate impact newcomer slated for next year.

I'll be pleasantly surprised if the Gophers can maintain after the loss of Murphy. Being notably better is hard to imagine.

I think it actually aligns with many posters' expectations that Pitino needs better results than this year to keep his job. If Gophs hold steady with the non-con wins and go 11-9 instead of 9-11 in conference, and finish regular season at 21-10, that feels like a 24/25 ranked team. Have the same post season result, end up 24-12 and they could end ranked 23-25.

 

[mplarson7]

Oh man can’t wait for some posters on here to spin this as a negative or ignore it all together... in all seriousness this should help spring recruiting

But in all seriousness, you certainly called that one...

 

[gopherguy15]

I also think this team could be pretty good if Coffee returns. The Big Ten should be good again next year, so a 6th place finish could be a borderline top-25 team...

 

[rockford]

I think it actually aligns with many posters' expectations that Pitino needs better results than this year to keep his job. If Gophs hold steady with the non-con wins and go 11-9 instead of 9-11 in conference, and finish regular season at 21-10, that feels like a 24/25 ranked team. Have the same post season result, end up 24-12 and they could end ranked 23-25.

And think how close they were of going 11-9 this year.

Yeah, I know, close is not winning. But close is just that ... close. It's not out of reach.

JTG

 

[kix4kix]

The biggest jump is from Freshman to Sophomore year. If our freshman make tangible improvement we are dangerous off of that alone not even counting other pieces.