Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher agrees with CBS TV analysts who are predicting Michigan State will represent the Big Ten Conference in the Final Four next month in Arlington, Texas.
Dutcher, who led the Gophers to the 1982 Big Ten title, still passionately studies college basketball. He told Sports Headliners his choices for the Final Four are Louisville, Florida, Michigan State and Wisconsin.
Last night CBS announced the NCAA Men’s Tournament field of 68 teams, and analysts Seth Davis, Doug Gottlieb and Clark Kellogg offered predictions including Final Four picks. Davis and Kellogg both like Florida, Michigan State, Wichita State and Wisconsin. Gottlieb’s choices are Arizona, Florida, Louisville and Michigan State.
Louisville is the defending national champion and Dutcher predicts a repeat by the Cardinals. “They’re probably playing better than anyone in the country,” Dutcher said. “They’re so tough-minded.”
Dutcher suggested that fans figuring out predicted tournament winners pay attention to not just the records of teams but also how they are playing right now. Teams who are among the most likely to continue late season momentum in the tournament, according to Dutcher, include Baylor, Louisville, Michigan State and UCLA. The Spartans, a preseason choice to be national champs, faltered this winter because of injuries but yesterday defeated Michigan to win the Big Ten Tournament. “We all knew they were a good team,” Dutcher said. “They’re a threat to win it all.”
Syracuse is another team to respect when trying to make sense of March Madness. The Orange were rolling with a No. 1 ranking and undefeated season before stumbling in recent weeks and finishing with a 27-5 record. But Dutcher pointed out the Orange not only have one of the tournament’s premiere players in forward C.J. Fair, they also have a troublesome zone defense. He said teams who don’t play the Orange on a regular basis can have “fits” trying to score against the zone.
When predicting upsets it’s hard to argue with paying attention to games involving No. 5 and No. 12 seeds. In tourney history 12 seeds have pulled off some surprises. A few years ago Dutcher gave a friend three upset predictions using the 12 beats 5 formula and all were accurate.
This week Dutcher believes No. 10 seeds Stanford and Arizona State will defeat No. 7 seeds New Mexico and Texas. Iowa and Tennessee have a play-in game on Wednesday night and the winner will be a No. 11 seed who Dutcher said “can beat” No. 6 seed Massachusetts.
Dutcher has sentimental favorites in the tournament including Wisconsin. He’s known Badgers coach Bo Ryan for a long time and wants to see him finally have a Final Four team. Ryan’s Badgers have never finished lower than fourth in the Big Ten standings but haven’t made deep tournament runs. “I’d like to see it on his resume (the Final Four),” Dutcher said.
A Michigan alum and former assistant coach in Ann Arbor, Dutcher is also pulling for Michigan in the tournament. He admires Michigan coach John Beilein. “He is a quality guy,” Dutcher said.
Worth Noting
Coach Richard Pitino’s Gophers are in the 32-team NIT field and have an opening game tomorrow night at Williams Arena against High Point. “I think the Gophers will play good (in the NIT),” Dutcher said. “They have a new coach (this season) and are trying to make an impression.
“I don’t think the fans will buy into it (the NIT) too much. Coaches have referred to it as the ‘Not Interested Tournament.’ ”
Not only is the NIT not a strong gate attraction but Minnesota’s home attendance has been declining for decades. For the 2013-14 season the Gophers averaged 12,329 for 18 home games, ranking 10th in the 12-team Big Ten. Williams Arena capacity is 14,625. Only Northwestern at 6,719 and Penn State, 6,500, averaged fewer fans per home game.
The Gophers are a No. 1 seed in the NIT along with Florida State, St. John’s and SMU.
Senior guard Austin Hollins will play in his 137th game as a Gopher when Minnesota meets High Point. Last week he broke Rodney Williams’ school record for most games at 134.
The Gophers went to the NIT Finals in 2012 but never hosted a game. They won four consecutive games before losing to Stanford in the championship game in New York.
College basketball fan Steve Nestor e-mailed that former Gophers athletic director McKinley Boston, now AD at New Mexico State, has seen his Lobos make the NCAA Tournament four of the last five years including in 2014. The Aggies have seven international players on their roster including Canadian brothers Sim and Tanveer Bhullar. They are large lads at 7-foot-5 and 7-foot-3, and weighing 360 and 335 pounds respectively.
Wally Pribyl, who played football for the Gophers in the late 1960s, is struggling in his fight with cancer. He is hospitalized in South Dakota and reached out last week to former teammates via e-mail. “I can’t express in words how much I appreciate the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” he wrote.
Former Vikings running backs Dave Osborn and Oscar Reed have birthdays this month on March 18 and 24. Twin Cities sports marketing authority Bill Robertson‘s birthday is March 21.