Train wreck ahead or program-turning opportunity?
The Gophers are 6-1 and ranked No. 13 nationally. Ahead are five more nonconference games against teams that don’t match Minnesota’s talent and depth. Cornell, Eastern Kentucky, Akron and South Dakota State will be home games, with one business trip to St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia.
But then the party is over and the Big Ten Conference schedule starts. Earlier this fall Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue were ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation. Illinois and Wisconsin were top 25 choices.
Minnesota will play its first five league games against all of the above except Illinois. The Gophers are at Wisconsin on December 28 and at Michigan State December 31. A home game follows against Indiana on January 4, then back on the road at Ohio State January 9 before playing Purdue at home on January 13. With three of the five games on the road, the Gophers won’t have the support of a potentially raucous Williams Arena audience.
Wisconsin doesn’t have enough votes to make the top 25 this week, but Michigan State is No. 6, Ohio State No. 2 and Purdue No. 18 in the latest USAToday/ESPN national poll. It’s obvious the Gophers have a major challenge ahead starting later this month but what’s interesting is the Big Ten schedule makers have given Minnesota arguably the most difficult five-game start in the league. Among the six most likely title contending teams, Minnesota and Wisconsin are the only ones that must play three or four of the best during the first five games.
The Badgers play Illinois twice, along with Minnesota, Michigan and Michigan State once each. Three of the five games, though, are in Madison.
What will the Gophers record look like after five games? Put the possibilities in a hat and draw them out? A 3-2 start or better will be an indicator this team could be in pursuit of the program’s first conference title since 1998. A 1-4 or worse beginning won’t deter hopes for the NCAA tournament in March, but will make a league championship a long shot.
The Gophers received no favors from the Big Ten last season either. Minnesota played national powers Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan State in three of its first five conference games. Of course two of the three games were on the road. The Gophers lost two of the three, winning at home against Ohio State. Minnesota also had wins over Penn State and Iowa to start the conference schedule 3-2.
The Gophers this week are a bit in recovery mode after blowing a double digit lead at home on Monday night against Virginia. Minnesota gave up 58 points in the second half to lose 87-79 after leading 39-29 at halftime. The Gophers allowed Virginia to shoot 53 percent on field goals, including 57 percent on three pointers in a defensive performance Minnesota coach Tubby Smith described as “pathetic as we’ve had in a long time.”
The Gophers Blake Hoffarber said: “I think we have to go out there every game like we’re the underdog. …We weren’t as intense as we normally are. We weren’t all over the ball, getting on the floor. It’s better now rather than later that we get this wake up call and get back to work, and work on the fundamentals.”
Part of the problem was the Gophers played without point guard Al Nolen who is one of the nation’s best defenders. Minnesota missed his leadership on offense, too. Smith said Nolen will not play for awhile because of a foot stress fracture but the coach seemed optimistic Nolen will return for the Big Ten schedule.
Virginia coach Tony Bennett said Nolen “steadies the ship” for the Gophers. “I know that was a loss for them,” Bennett said. “Obviously, he puts pressure on the point of attack defensively. …It was fortunate for us that he wasn’t out there.”