Gophers Basketball – Page 130 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wolves Lineup Age Matches Gophers

Posted on January 15, 2015January 15, 2015 by David Shama

When it comes to youth, the Big Ten’s Golden Gophers don’t necessarily have anything on the NBA’s Timberwolves. Consider this:

The Gophers starters usually are 21-year-old Joey King, 23-year-old Mo Walker, and three 22-year-olds—Andre Hollins, DeAndre Mathieu and Carlos Morris. Those five average 22 years of age. Key reserves are Charles Buggs, 21, and Elliott Eliason, 23.

Because of injuries and searching for productive players, the Timberwolves have used many starting combinations but nine times the opening lineup has been: Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins, both 19; Shabazz Muhammad, 22; Gorgui Dieng, 24; and Thad Young, 26. Again, average age is 22. Other young players on the roster include a pair of 21-year-olds, Anthony Bennett and Glenn Robinson III.

What to make of this?

Well, the Gophers “grey beards” haven’t collectively been able to make enough plays to prevent a 0-5 start in Big Ten games. But Minnesota has been competitive, losing two games by two points each, and two more by four and five point margins.

The Timberwolves have been a mess, losing 15 of their last 16 games while compiling a record of 6-31—flirting with the worst showing so far in the NBA. And what were the results with the youthful and inexperienced LaVine and Wiggins group? A winless 0-9.

The overall record is certainly no surprise since the Wolves have been playing most of the season without four starters from 2013-2014. All-Star Kevin Love has relocated to Cleveland while Kevin Martin, Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio have missed most of the season with injuries.

Coach Flip Saunders has been left with a roster that isn’t ready to play consistently—never mind win games. The record so far leaves them well positioned for a high first round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and the addition of more young talent to the roster.

It is somewhat surprising a team with as much experience as the Gophers has struggled to close out and win tight games. The Gophers not only have starters but bench players who have past Big Ten experience.

Hollins was a three-year starter coming into this season and his teammates aren’t exactly without game experience. Seniors Eliason and Walker averaged 21.5 and 18.5 minutes per game last season, while Mathieu, a junior college transfer at Minnesota in 2013-2014, averaged 30.2. King averaged 19 minutes per game two years ago at Drake and 22.4 minutes with Minnesota last season. Morris has the least major college experience but he is a junior college transfer, not a player just out of high school. Mathieu is a senior, while King and Morris are juniors.

After Tuesday night’s loss to Iowa, some Gophers were crying in the locker room. Disappointment has reached that level. Hollins said this 0-5 start is the most difficult period for the team since he became a Gopher.

Hollins is dating Gopher Rachel Banham, the preseason choice in women’s basketball for player of the year in the Big Ten. Her season ended in December when she tore an ACL. What message of encouragement has Hollins offered? “Stay strong. Come back stronger than ever.”

Hollins and the Gophers have 13 remaining Big Ten regular season games including Saturday at home against Rutgers. Hollins might offer his teammates the same advice he shared with his girlfriend.

The Wolves traded Love last summer and knew they would have to adjust without their All-Star power forward but the absence of Martin, Rubio and Pekovic due to injuries is as surprising as the Gophers 0-5 Big Ten start. Martin was counted on to replace some of Love’s scoring and be a prime option for clutch shots. Rubio’s performances early in the season before he was injured indicated he might be ready for his best year as a playmaker. Pekovic, when healthy, is among the NBA’s top low post scorers.

Pekovic, though, is fast gaining a reputation more for his run of injuries than his brute strength and low post scoring. He has only played in nine games this season. He missed 28 of the team’s final 38 games last season.

Pekovic reportedly accepted a five-year, $60 million contract from the Wolves before the 2013-2014 season. When Sports Headliners asked Glen Taylor about trading the 29-year-old, 295-pound center, the Wolves owner said: “At his salary, I wasn’t planning on trading him, but even if I was I don’t think I could be thinking about it now until he shows he’s a guy that can play consistently. Otherwise, he’s paid too much money.”

Taylor said fans are appreciative of the potential shown by young players like Wiggins but for now all the losing has put a dent in gameday ticket sales at Target Center. The Wolves rank last in attendance in the 30-team NBA, averaging 13,818 fans per game, according to Espn.com.

Taylor said the franchise may lose a “couple million dollars” this season but it is 2015-2016 that concerns him more financially. He wants to see the Wolves get their three veterans back in the lineup and play with the young talent. Win some games and show fans “the injuries were the reason that we didn’t win” while creating hope for the future. Positive momentum closing out this season can help retain and even grow the season ticket base for 2015-2016.

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U Needs Another ‘Echelon’ on Road

Posted on January 9, 2015January 9, 2015 by David Shama

The Gophers basketball players have been reminded the Big Ten schedule is a different “neighborhood” than the “walk-in-the-park” nonconference games they experienced during November and December. The Gophers, for example, still rank second nationally in both steals and assists per game—11.7 and 18.6 averages—but in Big Ten games only, those numbers are 8.7 and 11.3.

Other stats including overall field goal percentage are down in conference play, too, but the most important number is this: 0-3 in the Big Ten heading into tomorrow’s game at Michigan. Instead of playing inferior nonconference teams like Franklin Pierce, Seattle and Southern, Minnesota has of late been dealing with Big Ten opposition including nationally ranked Maryland and Ohio State. The Gophers were 11-2 in nonconference games and are now 11-5 overall.

Gophers point guard DeAndre Mathieu credits Big Ten teams with impressive preparation for his team. “Teams are really scouting us. I think (when) we played Purdue they said they practiced…seven guys on the court at one time. Teams are (also) doing a good job of challenging our shots. Things like that.”

A loss tomorrow and the Gophers will start 0-4 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 2011-2012 season. Two of the three losses have been by a total of six points and the schedule makers have given the Gophers only one home game (last Tuesday night) among their first four games.

“It’s the best league in the country for a reason,” said Gophers center Elliott Eliason. “It’s just if you don’t bring it every night you’re gonna get beat. We’ve played some really good teams. They’ve made the plays. You gotta give them the credit. They beat us.”

Eliason said the Gophers are playing with determination and want to win, but he won’t guarantee a victory in Ann Arbor against 2-1 Michigan. “It’s really tough on the road. You gotta play even another echelon above when you play at home, because things aren’t going to go your way. Breaks are just not gonna happen, seems like on the road.”

The Gophers lost by four points at Purdue and by 12 at No. 9 ranked Maryland. Tuesday night Minnesota lost by two points in overtime to No. 20 ranked Ohio State. Senior guard Andre Hollins said the Gophers “definitely” are the equal of the teams who have defeated them. “(We’re) just taking ourselves out of the game, not making winning plays, is what’s wrong with us.”

Worth Noting

Hollins, who last season was the team’s leading scorer but now is third at 12.4 points per game, missed all six of his first half field goal attempts against Ohio State and was scoreless. He came into the game converting three of 19 shots in his previous two games. In the second half Tuesday night he was three of seven on field goal attempts and finished with 12 points. “I was shooting the same way (in both periods),” Hollins said. “It was just going in.”

Eliason grew a thick beard for six weeks that drew attention from fans and media when the Gophers played at Purdue on December 31. But he said coach Richard Pitino put the “kibosh” on the beard and he shaved it off. What was the coach’s reasoning? “I don’t know,” Eliason said. “He just said get rid of it and I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ “

Sports historian Dana Marshall e-mailed that on January 5, 1957 the Gophers pompom girls, “organized by Bob Patrin,” made their debut at Williams Arena in a game against Illinois. Marshall, the student manager on the Gophers 1960 national championship football team, also noted Minnesota won the game.

The Gophers men’s hockey team also will be in Michigan this weekend. Coach Don Lucia’s team (10-5-1) has games in Ann Arbor tonight and Saturday against the Wolverines (10-7). The series between the two programs dates back to January 23, 1923.

Michigan coach Red Berenson has 798 career wins while Lucia has 661. They rank second and third in Division I wins among active coaches. Boston College’s Jerry York has 974 career wins—the most among both active and former coaches.

Club president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners “never say never” but the Twins are unlikely to add additional free agents to their roster. Their major free agent signings since the end of last season include pitcher Ervin Santana and outfielder Torii Hunter. “Our roster is pretty well set,” St. Peter said.

The team’s full season ticket equivalents sale was 17,500 last year and St. Peter predicts by the start of the 2015 schedule the total will be in the 13,000 to 14,000 range. Twins spring training tickets go on sale tomorrow. The club expects to sell 100,000 or more tickets for its home games in Fort Myers.

The 19th annual Timberwolves Shootout is tomorrow at Target Center and fans can watch four high school basketball games. Central High School of Omaha, Nebraska plays Apple Valley in the first game starting at 9:15 a.m. North Scott from Eldridge, Iowa faces Cretin-Derham Hall at 11 a.m., followed by Morgan Park of Chicago and DeLaSalle at 12:45 p.m. The last game at 2:30 p.m. has Rice Lake, Wisconsin against Champlin Park at 2:30 p.m.

Twenty-seven future NBA players have participated in past Shootouts including Jrue Holiday, DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Love and Josh Smith. More than 200 participants went on to play Division I basketball.

Condolences to former Gophers football player and Minneapolis businessman Mark Sheffert and wife Jennifer after the death this week of Jennifer’s mother Orlu Severson. Orlu was the wife of former St. Cloud State basketball coach Red Severson.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association will honor coaches of the year at its awards banquet on March 28 at the DoubleTree in St. Louis Park. The award winners and their football classifications are: 9-Man, Gary Sloan, Grand Meadow; Class 1-A, Charles Adams, Minneapolis North; Class 2-A, Luke Mitchell, Holdingford; Class 3-A, Mike Kesler, Rochester Lourdes; Class 4-A, Dwight Lundeen, Becker; Class 5-A, Rex King, Simley; Class 6-A, Jeff Ferguson, Totino-Grace. The state Coach of the Year representing all classes will be announced at the banquet.

Ferguson, along with Paul Miller from Apple Valley and Steve Solem of BOLD, will also be recognized as new coaching members of the MFCA’s Hall of Fame. John Sherman of Sun Newspapers will be honored in the Hall of Fame citation division.

The City of Edina will hold an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse to share the draft Braemar Golf Course Master Plan and receive feedback. The presentation is open to anyone interested in the plan. Braemar’s address is 6364 John Harris Drive.

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Dutcher Picks Gophers for Third in Big Ten

Posted on January 5, 2015January 5, 2015 by David Shama

Minnesota is 0-2 in the Big Ten Conference heading into tomorrow night’s first conference home game at Williams Arena but Jim Dutcher is optimistic about the Gophers. The former Gophers coach predicts Minnesota will finish third in the Big Ten standings, perhaps with an 11-7 record. “I like their roster,” said Dutcher, who coached the Gophers to the 1982 Big Ten championship.

Dutcher looks at the Gophers and sees a veteran team (five seniors on the 12-man roster) with “great guard depth” and valuable size with experienced centers Mo Walker and Elliott Elliason, both nearly 7-feet tall. “The question mark is forward play,” Dutcher said.

The Gophers, who have only unproven Charles Buggs behind Joey King at forward, opened their Big Ten schedule last week with losses at Purdue and Maryland. That makes tomorrow night’s game against Ohio State a big opportunity for Minnesota. “To win in the Big Ten you need to split (games) on the road and win your home games,” Dutcher said.

Wisconsin is Dutcher’s pick to finish first in the Big Ten and he has Ohio State at No. 2. OSU also has five seniors but a lot of the news about the Buckeyes focuses on freshman guard D’Angelo Russell who is third in Big Ten scoring at 17.7 points per game. The Buckeyes are 1-1 in league play, having lost to Iowa and beating Illinois, with both games at home.

Dutcher said the Big Ten has seen 11 players leave their schools early for the NBA in the last couple of years, including 10 No. 1 draft choices. This year Wisconsin senior Frank Kaminsky might be the league’s only No. 1 pick. With more mediocre talent spread throughout the league, the jockeying for high finishes in the conference behind consensus title choice Wisconsin figures to be entertaining and unpredictable.

The Gophers’ chances for a third or fourth place conference finish will partially be determined by stopping long scoring runs by opponents. The Gophers, for example, had a 55-44 lead with 9:37 to play in the second half against Purdue. A couple minutes later the Boilermakers trailed by three points, 56-53, before going on to win, 72-68.

Purdue had lost three consecutive nonconference games before playing Minnesota and the Boilermakers presented a major opportunity for a Gophers’ win. “A lot of time teams will get a run on them (the Gophers) and they really have some trouble just knuckling down and getting the key defensive stop,” Dutcher said.

Dutcher believes coach Richard Pitino should upgrade his nonconference schedule, taking on higher quality opponents that can help the Gophers ready themselves for the competition of the Big Ten, including playing on the road. “It doesn’t hurt…to lose to good competition early,” Dutcher said. “I just think it helps your preparation, particularly when somewhere along the line you gotta play a tough road game.”

Dutcher predicts Pitino will lead the Gophers to the NCAA Tournament after he coached Minnesota to the NIT title in his first season in 2014. To do that the Gophers will have to receive much better scoring production from three of their four outstanding guards than they saw against Maryland in a 70-58 loss. Seniors Andre Hollins, DeAndre Mathieu and freshman Nate Mason totaled six points on four of 21 shooting. The fourth guard is junior Carlos Morris, a player Dutcher likes a lot, and he scored 18 against the Terps, second to Walker’s team high 20 points.

Despite the 0-2 start, Dutcher isn’t backing off his optimistic prediction about this team that features talented guards and an inside scoring presence with Walker. But it’s no surprise he labels tomorrow night’s game “big” for 0-2 Minnesota.

Worth Noting

Dutcher said Big Ten Network basketball analyst Jim Jackson also predicted the Gophers will finish third in the conference.

Wisconsin, 14-1, is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll and has all of its key players returning from last year’s Final Four team except guard Ben Brust. Dutcher said the Badgers, though, have “trouble with quick guards,” and can also be vulnerable if preseason player of the year candidate Kaminsky, the 7-foot center, is in foul trouble because Wisconsin doesn’t have a replacement with his size. “They’re not unbeatable,” Dutcher said.

Larry Davis, who was a Gophers assistant coach in the 1990s and credited with recruiting All-Americans Bobby Jackson and Quincy Lewis, is now interim head coach at Cincinnati because Mick Cronin won’t be coaching for awhile due to a health issue.

Gophers sophomore center Amanda Zahui B. today was named the National Player of the Week by espnW after averaging 17.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 4 blocks per game in wins over Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin last week.

The 75th annual banquet for the “Original Baseball Old Timers Hot Stove League” will be at the Prom Center in Oakdale next Monday. Sports celebrities will include former and present baseball players. Twins manager Paul Molitor and relief pitcher Glen Perkins will be among the head table speakers. Event and ticket information is available by calling Rudy Jannetto, 651-379-2325.

With the smallest stadium capacity in the NFL, the Vikings had the lowest average per game attendance during the 2014 regular season. Playing at TCF Bank Stadium, the Vikings averaged 52,238 fans, according to ESPN.com. However, the website also reported the Vikings were No. 5 in the 32-team NFL for percentage of capacity at 104.5.

The Raiders, averaging 53,699 for regular season home games in Oakland, were 31st in attendance. The Rams, averaging 57,018 in St. Louis, ranked 30th. There is speculation those two franchises will relocate to Los Angeles. For a few years Los Angeles was rumored to be the new home of the Vikings and now it seems possible the city will have two teams based there. It will be ironic if the teams turn out to be the Raiders and Rams since both franchises once were based in Los Angeles.

The Gophers and Union played for the NCAA hockey title last spring but both programs are struggling this season. The Gophers are 10-5-1 while Union is 10-7-2.

It will be 35 years next month that Minnesotans such as former Gophers and North Stars coach Herb Brooks helped lead the U.S. hockey team to their stunning Olympic upset of the Soviet Union. ESPN Films has produced a show to air on February 8 as part of its acclaimed 30 for 30 series that will reveal how the game impacted the lives of the Soviet players.

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