In the Tubby Smith system the emphasis is on team play. The coach’s use of 10 players seeing more than 10 minutes per game has become routine. Play team defense, share the ball on offense, place the emphasis on the group, not the individual.
There’s no denying, though, that particularly in recent games senior forward Dan Coleman is playing like a star in a system that doesn’t strive to create one. The 6-foot-9 former Hopkins High School player scored 20 points to lead the Gophers on Saturday night as they defeated Santa Clara 68-50. He has now scored 20 points or more in his last three games, a career first. He leads the Gophers in scoring at 14.3 points per game (shooting .505 percent from the field) and rebounding 6.0 a game.
Coleman also had six of the Gophers’ 18 steals in the Santa Clara game and three blocks. Whether it’s stealing the ball, blocking shots or energizing the crowd with breakaway dunks, Coleman has been playing in non-conference like someone who intends to have his name nominated for all-conference honors after the Big Ten season ends in March. He was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week for his performance against Santa Clara (along with Shaun Pruitt of Illinois).
Smith said it’s taken Coleman awhile, just like the other Gophers, to adjust to the coaching change but he didn’t hesitate to praise him. “Dan is probably as versatile a forward as there is in this league because he can shoot with range, score and defend,” Smith said on Saturday night. “That gives the team a lot of confidence. …Dan is about as hard a worker as we have.”
Earlier this season Coleman became the 34th Gopher to score more than 1,000 points in his career. With 30 more rebounds he will have 500 career rebounds. Then he will be the 17th player in school career history to have at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
Coleman is second on the team in average minutes per game at almost 26. He and his teammates know that playing effective defense is a requirement for being in the game and defense is the Gophers’ identity. Minnesota is holding opponents to a field goal percentage of .405 and 59.5 points per game while compiling a record of 8-1 in non-conference games. The Gophers’ numbers are: .462 percent and 76.7 points per game.
After Saturday’s game Coleman was asked about the role defense plays for the Gophers. “I think it’s huge,” he said. “That’s our niche. Scoring one-on-one in the half court goes up and down but if we get a lot of points out of our defense that helps steady the tide a little bit, ups and downs.”
The Gophers finish non-conference play with three games in a Las Vegas tournament this week, the Duel in the Desert. Minnesota plays Nicholls State Friday night, then Kennesaw State on Saturday evening, and a final game against UNLV on Sunday night.
“Vegas can be a fun place if you’re playing well,” Smith said. “It’s not much fun if you’re not playing well. …We want to enjoy ourselves but we know it’s a business trip.”
As of last Saturday, Coleman and the Gophers have been taking care of business.