Gopher Basketball
1 may be the loneliest number, but it’s a number Gopher fans would welcome with open arms this weekend at The Barn. One win. One lone, solitary win Saturday afternoon vs. Michigan (16-12, 7-9 Big Ten), another Big Ten squad simply battling to maintain its status on the dreaded NCAA bubble. Whether it’s a thing of beauty or butt-ugly, a blowout or a white-knuckler, high scoring or low scoring, it doesn’t matter. Gopher fans simply want to witness a win after three straight home losses that have all but sapped the life out of Gopher fans and their NCAA tourney chances.
Will there be signs of life the Gophers (17-10, 6-9 Big Ten) still have interest in playing on the NCAA’s grandest stage, or are they going to let this once promising season slide into oblivion? Saturday presents yet another opportunity for the Gophers, who rather amazingly still have a shot at the NCAA Tournament despite a 1-6 freefall in their last seven games (insert joke about expanded 68-team tournament here). For the Gophers, Saturday’s all about one thing, and the late, charismatic Jimmy Valvano coined the phrase (see next paragraph).
There hasn’t been much reason to have confidence in the Gophers lately, but in this one I’m playing the percentages. The Gophers will not lose four straight home games, even with a depleted squad. Gophers 71, Michigan 63. Survive and advance. … and move on to Evanston.
All RPI references are courtesy of Jerry Palm at collegerpi.com, through games played Thursday, February 24.
RPI Sweet 16
1. Kansas (26-2)
2. Ohio State (26-2)
3. BYU (25-2)
4. San Diego State (25-1)
5. Duke (26-2)
6. Pitt (25-3)
7. Georgetown (21-7)
8. Purdue (23-5)
9. Texas (24-4)
10. Notre Dame (22-5)
11. North Carolina (21-6)
12. Florida (22-5)
13. Wisconsin (21-6)
14. St. John’s (18-9)
15. Arizona (23-5)
16. Kentucky (19-8)
Big Ten in the RPI
2. Ohio State (26-2)
8. Purdue (23-5)
13. Wisconsin (21-6)
36. Michigan State (15-11)
38. Illinois (17-11)
47. GOPHERS (17-10)
53. Penn State (15-12)
66. Michigan (16-12)
76. Nebraska (18-9)
98. Northwestern (16-11)
172. Iowa (10-17)
186. Indiana (12-16)
Big Ten RPI Top-50 Wins (42)
Ohio State (7): Pur (8), @ Fla (12), MSU (36), @ Ill (38), Ill (38), @ Gophers (47), Gophers (47)
Wisconsin (6): OSU (2), Pur (8), MSU (36), Ill (38), Gophers (47), vs. BC (49)
Purdue (5): OSU (2), Wis (13), MSU (36), @ Ill (38), Gophers (47)
Michigan State (5): Wis (13), vs. Wash (37), Ill (38), @ Gophers (47), Gophers (47)
Illinois (4): NC (11), Wis (13), MSU (36),@ Gophers (47)
Penn State (4): Wis (13), MSU (36), Ill (38), Gophers (47)
GOPHERS (3) — Pur (8), vs. NC (11), vs. WV (20)
Nebraska (2): Tex (9), Tex A&M (27)
Michigan (2): @ MSU (36), Harv (43)
Indiana (2): Ill (38), Gophers (47)
Iowa (1): MSU (36)
Northwestern (1) — Ill (38)
Road/Neutral Records
1. Ohio State (8-2)
2. Purdue (8-5)
T3. Wisconsin (6-6)
T3. GOPHERS (6-6)
5. Northwestern (5-7)
6. Michigan (4-7)
7. Illinois (5-9)
8. Michigan State (4-9)
9. Iowa (3-9)
10. Nebraska (2-7)
11. Penn State (2-8)
12. Indiana (0-11)
Gophers’ Nonconference Opponents/RPI & Record
11. North Carolina (21-6, 11-2 ACC)
20. West Virginia (17-10, 8-7 Big East)
134. Akron (17-10, 8-5 MAC East)
136. Virginia (14-13, 5-8 ACC)
137. Wofford (17-12, 13-4, SoCon South)
184. South Dakota State (16-10, 10-7 Summit)
185. Western Kentucky (14-14, 8-7 Sun Belt East)
202. Siena (11-16, 7-9 MAAC)
203. Saint Joseph’s (7-20, 2-11 Atlantic 10)
241. North Dakota State (11-14, 7-10 Summit)
242. Cornell (7-17, 3-7 Ivy)
256. Eastern Kentucky (13-14, 9-8 Ohio Valley)
Average RPI of Nonconference Opponents: 162.583 (last week = 168.333)
Preseason Projected RPI of Nonconference Opponents (excluding UNC & WV): 133.5
Conference Road Wins (28)
Ohio State (6) — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Gophers, Northwestern
Purdue (4) — Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Penn State
Michigan (3) — Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State
Wisconsin (3) — Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern
Illinois (2) — Iowa, Gophers
Michigan State (2) — Minnesota, Northwestern
Gophers (2) — Iowa, Michigan
Northwestern (2) — Indiana, Iowa
Penn State (2) — Indiana, Northwestern
Iowa (1) — Indiana
Nebraska (1) — Oklahoma
Indiana (0)
Updated Big Ten Tournament Bracket
Thursday, March 10 (1st Round)
1:30 p.m. — #8 GOPHERS (6-9) vs. #9 Northwestern (6-10), ESPN2
3:55 p.m. — #7 Michigan (7-9) vs. #10 Iowa (3-12), ESPN2
6:30 p.m. — #6 Illinois (7-8) vs. #11 Indiana (3-12), BTN
Friday, March 11 (Quarterfinals)
11 a.m. — #1 Ohio State (13-2) vs. GOPHERS/Northwestern winner, ESPN
1:25 p.m. — #4 Michigan State (8-7) vs. #5 Penn State (8-8), ESPN
5:30 p.m. — #2 Purdue (12-3) vs. Michigan/Iowa winner, BTN
7:55 p.m. — #3 Wisconsin (11-4) vs. Illinois/Indiana winner, BTN