Your Missing Link(s) for This Year's Team?

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Tater

Tater

f.k.a. "Tubtastic"
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This team has shown that it can compete with some of the best teams the country has to offer. See games against MSU and Louisville. My question to everyone is:

What is/are the missing link(s) that you believe would make this team a bona fide Big 10 championship/final four contender?

For me, I see two needs:
(1) a Bobby Jackson-f-you-I'm-gonna-take-over-this-game-so-kiss-my-a$$ type player; and
(2) a rebounding monster (ala Courtney James/Richard Coffee).

The good news is that White (or maybe even Rodney Williams) and Mbakwe might fill both roles as soon as next year (fingers crossed!). Plus, Iverson-Sampson-Devoe will have another year's development and experience.
 


A few other things...

I think the success of this team as a whole for the season will depend heavily on how much the Jucos develop over the next 8 weeks.

With most of the guys, we pretty much know what we have, good or bad. But not Carter and Bostick. With these guys, we don't really know how good they could be just yet.

We're starting to see some signs that they're getting it figured out but these are the two guys that have the most potential to improve between now and early March. Long term, others may have more potential (like Sampson, Iverson, and Joseph) but for THIS season, the most room for improvement lies with our two Jucos.

If even one of them really cranks it up down the stretch, we should be a tournament team without question. If not, it could be a tall order to make the NCAA.

Should be a fun ride!! I can't wait to see how it all unfolds...
 

Every team could use another Bobby Jackson, even the teams that had Bobby Jackson.
 



Ogee Oglethorpe said:
I think the success of this team as a whole for the season will depend heavily on how much the Jucos develop over the next 8 weeks.
Click to expand...

I agree. I was happy with both Carter's (despite a 1-5 shooting, 2 TO day) and Bostick's performances against tOSU. I look forward to seeing what happens as the season progresses and their minutes increase.
 

I'll second that with the assumption that our bigs continue to mature and develop. I have seen glimpses of Carter playing above the rim and Bostick creating and then hitting his shot but not much with the Gophers. (A foretaste of what is to come with Rodney and Royce.) If they can do that we are a pretty formidible team with a lot of weapons...
 

I guess my original thought on this post was to ask people to critically analyze this team and suggest a type of player or players that we might need to add (or develop further) in order to compete for a Big 10 title or to become a final four team.

My point is that I think this team is actually not that far off - a prolific scorer and rebounder might be all we'd need.
 

We need a wing that can get his shot off whenever. Westbrook is ok but I still think he's a good player given the freedom of a very good player. We need that 6'5 guy who can take his man off the dribble and get to the rim and finish. Basically someone we can give the ball to late in the clock. We've had issues late in the shot clock because our 2 best slashers (DJ and Nolen) can't shoot at all so we hoist up bricks.

We also need not just a beast rebounder but a consistent post scorer. I think next year C 45 can be this and Trevor can be that beast rebounder
 



Tubtastic said:
(1) a Bobby Jackson-f-you-I'm-gonna-take-over-this-game-so-kiss-my-a$$ type player; and
(2) a rebounding monster (ala Courtney James/Richard Coffee).

The good news is that White (or maybe even Rodney Williams) and Mbakwe might fill both roles as soon as next year (fingers crossed!). Plus, Iverson-Sampson-Devoe will have another year's development and experience.
Click to expand...
You've named three recruits coming in next year. Just maybe the fourth, PG Justin Cobb, will be just as important. He could free up Devoe Joseph to play more at SG. Although Westbrook and Hoffarber are solid, I see Joseph as the potential "I'm-gonna-take-over-this-game" scorer the Gophers currently lack.
 

Your big time rebounder will be Iverson. I can just feel it. The way he already uses his body, I think he will only get better. Your "eff you" scorer on the other hand is more difficult. Right now I would have to say our best "big shot" guy is Blake, but he can't get off his own shot, so the ball has to go to Nolen. I agree with Mikie that Joseph has all the tools to be the guy who can either get to the basket or pull up for the jumper. He just needs little more experience.
 

Somebody who can consistently score in the last three minutes of the game.
 






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