will the gophers be a contender in '10 and '11 if white/mbakwe are playing?

[KD6-3.7]

in the big ten, if you're not improving you're falling behind, and even though the gophers will be an improved team so will the other top 5 teams. i keep hearing that with white and mbakwe we will be a contender for the big ten. but in the big ten arms race, everyone else is getting better as well. let's take the top five teams:

MSU: losses; morgan and dahlman (i am assuming lucas will be returning for his senior season), and they have a five star center, a four star PG and two three star forwards.

wisconsin: loses hughes and bohannon. leuer will be back next season. three three stars coming in next year.

OSU returns points, rebounds and assist leader (turner), and they have the best incoming recruiting class in the big ten. let's face it, they could probably field a big ten contender with their 2010-11 incoming freshmen.

illinois: again assuming no one leaves early will return pretty much everyone. they also have arguably the second best incoming class with three instate kids coming in--all four stars.

purdue: again, assuming hummel and johnshon return, return a lot. kramer will be sorely missed, but they have the #12 PG coming in next year as well as a top 100 shooting guard and two other highly rated recruits.

minnesota: losses; westbrook, johnson and nolen will be a question mark. figure we will be adding white, mbakwe, eliason, hollins. that is a very good incoming class and it would certainly be an improvement, but does it improve the team enough to overtake one, two or five of the teams currently ahead of the gophers the standings? Joseph coming to minneapolis would help.

 

[boston.gopher]

If they are as good as advertised then you can bank on it!

 

[davyjones]

No, the top teams are much better and will get better. We will continue as also rans.

 

[boston.gopher]

Way to be optimistic davy!

 

[MN Gopher Fan]

we will be a contender...and if we get CJ we'll be most definitely a contender

 

[akoch6767]

conference standings next season
1. Ohio State
2.Purdue
3.Michigan State
4. Illinois
5.Minnesota
6.Wisconsin
7.Northwestern
8.Michigan
9.Indiana
10.Iowa
11.Penn State

 

[MRJ]

Way to be optimistic davy!

He's not here to be optimistic. He's here to bitch, whine and moan about Tubby and the team. And then just for kicks, bitch, whine and moan about people who don't agree with him.

 

[jjsinmn]

Yes they will be. Royce and Trevor are exactly what this team is missing. Along with an improved Rodney, Devoe and the two bigs. Yes Corey Joseph would certainly help as well.

 

[burton34]

I hate to say it but this was our year to compete in the top 3 of the conference. Loads of returning players, plus RW + TM would've made us complete. I hate to be like Art, but our future for the next 2-3 years looks firmly planted in the 5-7 range of the conference. OSU, Purdue, MSU, IL will add lots of talent and we just don't have recruits to keep up.

 

[boston.gopher]

Turner won't be back next year for OSU. He's going to be the second pick in the draft. Incoming recruits might help a number of teams but even highly regarded recruits can take time to adjust. Remember, two of our newcomers will have already practiced with the team the year before and will be more familiar with the system and ready to step up right away.

 

[beowulftom]

I agree with boston.gopher. Turner is NBA bound(maybe into a T-wolves jersey)

I really think having a legit 4 is going to help, especially offensively. everything I've heard about Mbakwe makes me optimistic that he's that guy. He's mature, can bang and get rebounds, will know the system and be able contribute immediately. Adding a potential pro in White, a pure shooter in Hollins, more experience and depth. If that last scholarship goes to C Joseph, we'd have an "incoming class" (all the players who join the team) that rivals OSU.

We lose Johnson who is a great player. Westbrook, I believe, has been a negative force on the team this year.

Overall I see the team moving up as high as 3rd best next year, with a chance to fight for the BT title in 2011-12

If this sounds optimistic, it's because I am.