Write Up After The Game

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sidefx182

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http://www.stobblog.com/2011/12/fan-in-press-row-gophers-big-ten-opener.html

I'm sure there will be a lot of "this team sucks", "Welch blew it", "Seaon is over" threads out there. This write up was some positive takes I had.

I'm actually think this is a pretty good result all things considered. I know people will say a loss is a loss, but I think taking the Illini to 2x OT is a "good" road loss...if there is such a thing. I'm sure SS knows about that sort of thing.
 

I agree. But the football team had a "moral victory" at USC. I'm sick of it. We had the game won. Julian Welch blew it. Twice. Damn.
 

You forgot the "It's all Tubby's fault" thread. Seriously, though, I'm with you, even though I am not one who likes moral victories. While the loss was excruciating for me to watch when it was in our hands late in regulation, I am pleased with the overall effort. Our team showed a lot of toughness and some solid play after a horrible start on the road in the first half. What this game shows me is that we have the talent to compete in the B1G. I have not written this season off like many on this board. Hopefully this gives the team some confidence that they can in fact win on the road if they learn how to finish some shots. Now that I am over my initial disappointment, I can say that I am encouraged and am hoping for a couple of unexpected wins on the road this season. GO Gophs!
 

I'm in the same boat as you in that I am not too upset that we lost the game. This was a very disappointing but very encouraging game. I don't think anyone legitimately expected the Gophers to go to Champaign and win the game, but we took a quality Illinois team to double overtime. This game has slightly raised my expectations for the season. Instead of hoping for 9-9 in the Big Ten, I'm almost expecting it now. This team is younger than most and will likely improve more than others as the season wears on. I am hoping the Gophers put forth the same effort against the Wolverines on Sunday.
 

It seems we play up to our opponents - A lot of closer than expected wins at home in the preseason and then tonight. Man! we had this game and unfortunately I hate going 0 -2 starting out in the Big10 again. It seems our players can be really good and then do some bonehead plays. Ralph was doing great but then he didn't guard the ball and then he let them get a easy lay-up un the last overtime. Julian helped the great comeback but then he did'nt clinch the game twice.
How many layups did we miss? I think we are better than 9 -9 this season - but this one really hurt.
 


When the Gophs were sucking gas toward the end of the first half I was ready to write off the season. Then they showed toughness and resolve. This team may or may not make the tourney, but I like their grittiness so far. Just wish they had a go to guy.
 

All Welch had to do was make that stinking free throw - so close yet clank!
 

I just find their style of play on offense hard to watch. Who knows, maybe I'm just losing interest in college basketball.
 

Donovan said:
I just find their style of play on offense hard to watch. Who knows, maybe I'm just losing interest in college basketball.
Click to expand...

It's funny...there are moments when I love watching our offense (i.e. second half in transition, driving into the paint, cutting and passing well), and moments when I struggle like you (i.e. almost the entire 1st half). But what I do love about these guys so far is that there is no quit in them and they seem to have some significant upside as these young guards develop. I believe we will see some consistent improvement in our offensive sets throughout this season as they mature. Edit--I also believe we will see Julian atone for this game at some point in the season. I love his competitiveness.
 



It's not perfect but I think Sampson is your only go to guy on the team. I hope in the future when the game is on the line, they isolate him, get him the ball, and let him go one on one. If he gets fouled he has a better chance of making the free throws than anyone.
 

hendo59 said:
You forgot the "It's all Tubby's fault" thread. Seriously, though, I'm with you, even though I am not one who likes moral victories. While the loss was excruciating for me to watch when it was in our hands late in regulation, I am pleased with the overall effort. Our team showed a lot of toughness and some solid play after a horrible start on the road in the first half. What this game shows me is that we have the talent to compete in the B1G. I have not written this season off like many on this board. Hopefully this gives the team some confidence that they can in fact win on the road if they learn how to finish some shots. Now that I am over my initial disappointment, I can say that I am encouraged and am hoping for a couple of unexpected wins on the road this season. GO Gophs!
Click to expand...

seal-of-approval.jpg
 


I am at home recovering from hip replacement surgery 2 weeks ago. I am not drinking but I guess the Oxycodon has the same impact. I did not expect them to win. They could have and should have won.

Ralph played a great game but fell asleep for a second. Julian will win a lot of games for us this year, but when the game was on the line he fell apart this time missing free throws, a lay up and a couple of open shots.

What bothered me the most were some non-calls. Julian got mauled going up for a lay up. A foul was called but it should have been a flagrant foul. Mav took an elbow (I think unless he faked it); if that was Colt he would have would have been thrown out of the game and suspended for a couple of games. With 6 seconds to go in regulation Mav is driving the length of the court and clearly gets fouled just beyond the half court mark and no call.

Oh well, I love Gopher basketball. I will watch every second of every game possible. I even watched the game from my hospital bed a couple of hours after surgery. So, whatever you are drinking sidefx182, keep up the good work.
 



Atl Gopher said:
I am at home recovering from hip replacement surgery 2 weeks ago. I am not drinking but I guess the Oxycodon has the same impact. I did not expect them to win. They could have and should have won.

Ralph played a great game but fell asleep for a second. Julian will win a lot of games for us this year, but when the game was on the line he fell apart this time missing free throws, a lay up and a couple of open shots.

What bothered me the most were some non-calls. Julian got mauled going up for a lay up. A foul was called but it should have been a flagrant foul. Mav took an elbow (I think unless he faked it); if that was Colt he would have would have been thrown out of the game and suspended for a couple of games. With 6 seconds to go in regulation Mav is driving the length of the court and clearly gets fouled just beyond the half court mark and no call.

Oh well, I love Gopher basketball. I will watch every second of every game possible. I even watched the game from my hospital bed a couple of hours after surgery. So, whatever you are drinking sidefx182, keep up the good work.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same when it happened.
 

I just hope...

I just hope that missing "clutch" free throws doesn't become the norm for Welch. He would have been the goat in the Old Spice Classic if Rodney didn't get a put back after he missed 2 that would have closed the game out.

All in all though, like most said, this game has my expectations on the up and up. Should be a fun season.
 

Lots of positives to come out of this game and a few things to work on like transition defense. But a young, inexperienced team on the road taking a good Illinois team to double overtime is something to hang your hat on. I think even though they lost, all of those guys know they should have won this and it will be a good confidence boost. I hope Welch doesn't carry that miss with him as he played a good game but a few of his shots just didn't go down.

I saw several misses on jump shots for mulitple players that were half way down and then came out. Point is, the shots were there and I think you'll knock them down more often than not. Lots of options for line ups with this team. 3 guard look, 4 guard look. 2 7 footer look etc.. I think they only get better with each game.
 

notagopherfan, did you notice how so many of their shots clanked off of the rim, flew up in the air, and then went in. It just ain't right!
 

I hate to say it, but the entire time I was watching the game, especially in the last 5 minutes, I was asking myself "how are they going to blow this one?" On a multiple-choice test, the options are: missed FT, missed layup, put other team on FT line, unforced turnover.

I'm sorry, but right now I just have no confidence in this program's ability to win a tight game. And I think the biggest problem is the lack of a true point guard. Welch is a undersized shooting guard - Dre Hollins is a shooting guard - Maverick is a backup on virtually any other B1G team. Ask yourself this question - what would this team look like with Nolan running the point? A lot better, in my estimation.

I don't want to sound like a bandwagon jumper-offer, but doggone it, I expected more from Tubby. And now, we have possibly the best PG recruit in the country in the U's backyard. This is it Tubby - this is when a National Championship winning coach does what he's supposed to, and lands a big-time recruit that can change the fortunes of the program. If Tubby can't get the kid from Apple Valley to commit, then I say it's time for Tubby to go. Sorry, but that's the way I feel. Either Tubby is a big-time coach, or he's not. If he's a big-time coach, then he needs to land big-time recruits. That's the way it works. I don't want to spend my entire life rooting for the plucky underdogs. Just once, I'd like to root for the big, bad team that goes into other teams's gyms and kicks their butts.
 

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