Gopher Basketball
This was a good Furman team; one that returned nearly everybody from the team that almost blew out the Gophers at Williams Arena last season. They have shooters, and they have athletes, and a win over them truly means something – especially a win like this.
The Gophers led throughout and were almost always in control. They jumped out to a 9-0 lead, thanks to an active start by Vincent Grier and a Dan Coleman 3-pointer. Freshman Rico Tucker then helped stem a Furman rally by knocking down four long jumpers (Rico led the Gophers with 11 points in the first half). The opening half was very up-tempo, and a Minnesota offense that had been a little out of sync in previous games shot 59% from the field and scored 41 points. The only negative was that the Paladins shot 50% from the field and from 3-point range to stay close. Minnesota’s defense hadn’t been quite as sharp as its offense.
That changed in the second half. The Gophers got off to a 10-2 start to quickly build a 51-35 lead. While their shooting stayed hot, this time they used defense to stay on top. Minnesota held Furman to just 42% shooting from the field in the second half, and the Paladins hit just 4 of their 18 three-point attempts.
Minnesota’s improved defense was key, as they finally did show some signs of being a young team. After committing just 6 turnovers in the first half, the Gophers coughed it up 13 times in the second. That’s why the Paladins were able to cut an 18-point deficit to just 9 with 2:45 left to play. But the Gophers made all 15 of their free throws in the second half and wouldn’t let Furman get any closer. It wound up being a comfortable 84-69 victory.
Vincent Grier led the way again with 24 points. He also had a very impressive stat line (get used to it) with team-highs in rebounds (6), assists (5), and steals (4). The great news is, he had a lot of help. Five Gophers scored in double-figures, and two others were close to it. All eight Gophers also had assists, and five of them had at least 3 assists (that might be the most impressive stat of all). It was a true team victory.
Here’s the box score.
| Game Info | |
| Opponent: | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| When: | 8:30 pm, November 26th, 2004 |
| Where: | Sullivan Arena – Anchorage, AK |
| Television: | None (Radio: 950 AM, 830 AM) |
Now on to my preview. The Gophers’ victory earned them the right to take on #19 Alabama in the semifinals on Friday. The Crimson Tide destroyed host Alaska-Anchorage 90-55 Wednesday and will be a major test for Minnesota. They return four starters from last season’s Elite Eight team and are one of the favorites in the SEC this year. They’re loaded with experience, athleticism, and scorers. In three easy games to start the season, their lowest point total has been 85.
Alabama is led by three of the top players in the SEC. 6’6″ junior wing Kennedy Winston is a scoring machine. He averaged 17 points (and 6 rebounds) per game last season. 6’3″ senior guard Earnest Shelton averaged 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, and is the Tide’s primary 3-point threat. And 6’7″, 230-lb junior power forward Chuck Davis averaged 12 points and 6 boards while shooting 51% from the field.
Here are my Gopher Keys of the Game:
1. Slow ’em and Stop ’em. Alabama isn’t a team that’s in love with the long-ball, and they don’t have many serious back-to-the-basket threats. Their points come primarily from transition and penetration. That’s where their athleticism and skill and really do some damage. The Gophers need to respect the drive more than the jumper (until proven otherwise), and they need to get back on ‘D’. They also have to be careful not to be over aggressive on perimeter and fullcourt defense and not to over-help on penetration. That can result in easy scoring opportunities, and the Crimson Tide figures to get enough of those on their own. Vincent Grier‘s defense on Winston (and staying out of foul trouble) could be the match-up of the game.
2. Box Out. Alabama won’t have much of a size advantage against Minnesota, but their athleticism could still do damage on the offensive glass. The Gophers will need to focus on putting a body on somebody and going towards the ball. Furman grabbed a few offensive boards late to help rally, and I’m sure the Tide will be crashing the glass regularly.
3. Stick to the Plan. There’s no doubt that Alabama is the clear favorite in this one. They could easily win in a rout. If the Gophers manage to pull the upset, it’s going to be a dogfight. So Minnesota just needs to stick to its gameplan and not worry about the score. They didn’t go to Alaska focussed on returning with a 3-0 record. They went there focussed on improving as a team. If they lose, and if they lose big, it will be far from the end of the season. Minnesota will just need to keep improving and move on.
Man, do I wish this game were televised. Not being able to watch the Furman game was also painful. The Gophers played well, and I’m intrigued to see how they now do against a superior team. Gopher teams from years past would likely have folded. Will this Gopher team leave it all on the court trying to scrap out a victory? I’m not sure that they’ll be able to pull the upset, but I’m going to let them lose one before predicting a loss. My prediction: Minnesota 81 Alabama 80.
Talk about the game on our Gopher Basketball message board.