Will the 4-0 Gophers scare top 10 ranked Duke enough on Thursday to pull off an upset?
At first it might seem a stretch to think the unranked Gophers could defeat the Associated Press No. 5 ranked team in the country, but maybe not. The game will be played on a neutral court, part of the Battle4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. Minnesota, under head coach Tubby Smith, has defeated other nationally revered programs during past nonconference schedules—Louisville in 2008 and North Carolina in 2010.
The blueprint for a Gophers win Thursday is probably forcing Duke (3-0) out of its offense with Minnesota pressuring Blue Devil players in both full and half court situations. The Gophers are capable of playing intimidating defense, trapping dribblers, forcing them away from the basket and blocking shots attempted inside the lane. The defense can create turnovers, potentially leading to dunks and other easy Minnesota baskets.
In two exhibitions and four nonconference games the Gophers have at times shown they know how to execute the blueprint. It’s a plan that works because of the exceptional athleticism, length and jumping ability of Minnesota’s players. The individual parts sometimes add up to an octopus-like whole with Gophers swarming all over the court creating havoc.
And all that physical talent can result in easy baskets for the Gophers when running the offense too. The team’s inside offense with forwards Rodney Williams, Trevor Mbakwe, Joe Coleman and center Elliott Eliason can result in a dunk-a-thon and other easy baskets. Scoring has been made easier this year by the steady outside shooting of guard Austin Hollins (another rangy defensive player) and the playmaking of guard Andre Hollins.
A snapshot of the Gophers’ M.O. in their four nonconference wins so far was their first half performance against Toledo. Minnesota led 48-22 at halftime against the Rockets, a team considered a contender to win the West Division in the Mid-American Conference.
After the game Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk, a Minnesota-Duluth grad, told Sports Headliners how impressed he was with Minnesota including the Gophers’ dominant first half performance: “We probably played scared, tentative in the first half. …”
What frightened the Rockets about the Gophers? “I think their length and I think their athletic ability, and just how fast they are in transition,” Kowalczyk said. “They are a very good basketball team.
“I’ve seen Minnesota play for several years, and this is the best team I think Tubby has had. They’re really good defensively. Their guards can really shoot the ball. …”
Kowalczyk said the Gophers belong in the top 25 rankings and he wouldn’t be surprised if they could play with any team in America. Can they defeat Duke?
“I think they can,” Kowalczyk said. “Certainly can talent wise.”
Austin Hollins, who scored 10 of the Gophers first 15 points against Toledo and was credited by Kowalczyk with shutting down the Rockets’ point guard, said he expects Minnesota to win every game and Duke is no different. He too believes Minnesota’s length and athleticism defines this team. “I would be a little scared going up against us,” Hollins told Sports Headliners.
Beating the Blue Devils will not be a stroll on a Caribbean beach. Duke already has a win over top 10 ranked and defending national champion Kentucky. The Blue Devils rely on experienced upperclassmen including seniors Seth Curry, Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee, all of whom averaged double figure scoring last season. And then there’s legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski who has won four national championships and last summer led the U.S. Olympic team to the gold medal.
Duke will try to pressure the Gophers into turnovers like Minnesota committed on Sunday night in a 73-57 win over a competitive Richmond team. The Gophers had 11 turnovers in the first 4:44 of the game and the Spiders made 10 steals.
Minnesota’s inconsistency on offense is something Kowalczyk observed. “I think they obviously have to get a little bit more disciplined offensively. Certainly defensively they create a lot of havoc. They can really rebound the ball (at) both ends. They’re so good in transition. If they need any work, it’s probably in their half court execution but this time of year everybody knows your defense should be ahead of your offense at this point in time.”
The Blue Devils have so much resume it’s easy to think the Gophers won’t win but Minnesota is motivated after suffering a run of injuries in recent seasons, having consecutive 6-12 seasons in the Big Ten and not making the NCAA tournament.
“You win a big game like that, you know what you’re capable of, definitely,” Coleman said.
“That’s a good basketball team (Minnesota),” Kowalczyk said. “They will have a very good season at some point here. I’d say fairly soon (they will) get some national respect.”
Play with anybody in the country? “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Kowalczyk said.
Worth Noting
The Gophers-Duke game on Thanksgiving begins at 2:30 p.m. Minneapolis time and will be televised by AXS TV (channel 420 on Comcast). The earlier Battle 4 Atlantis game on Thursday between Missouri and Stanford will also be on AXS TV. Night games between Memphis-VCU and Louisville-Northern Iowa will be on NBC Sports Network.
Gophers coach Tubby Smith talking earlier this month about the willingness of his players to dive for loose balls on the court: “Even our big guys getting on the floor. ….That’s impressive and important that guys are diving for loose balls, saving balls (for) one another. That tells me about the teamwork that we have right now.”
Gophers with size include 6-8 Trevor Mbakwe, 6-7 Rodney Williams and 6-11 Elliott Eliason but the biggest player on the roster is 6-10, 295-pound forward-center Maurice Walker. His minutes have been more limited than the other three as he works his way back from a season of inactivity during 2011-12. Walker told Sports Headliners Smith wants him to lose “seven to 10 pounds.”
Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk said Gophers sophomore guard Joe Coleman is “the most underrated player in the Big Ten.” The 6-4 Coleman has become a regular this season, making a difference in Minnesota’s full court pressure, chasing loose balls, driving to the basket and shooting better outside. Coleman is averaging 10 points per game after last season’s 5.8.
After watching the football Gophers lose 38-14 to Nebraska last Saturday, I couldn’t remember a more dismal performance by Minnesota’s pass receivers. Focus, effort and discipline appeared absent on too many plays.
Minnesota (6-5 overall, 2-5 in the Big Ten) should be about a touchdown underdog against Michigan State (5-6, 2-5) on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium. The guess here is the Gophers have about a 30 percent chance of winning the game, playing against a much more talented Spartans roster. Four of the MSU losses are by a total of 10 points.
Gophers coach Jerry Kill said today 21 of his players are on the injured list. Certain not to play on Saturday is defensive tackle Roland Johnson who tore his ACL at practice last week in a noncontact situation. Because of physical concerns about his players, Kill said practice will focus on developing “fresh legs” for Saturday’s game.
After seeing reserves MarQueis Gray and Max Shortell in the same backfield late in the Nebraska game, the Spartans are probably preparing to face three different Gophers’ quarterbacks on Saturday. Philip Nelson, the No. 1 quarterback since October 20, may start but don’t be surprised to see Gray at quarterback, a senior playing his last game at home.
Expect an announcement on the site for the Gophers’ bowl appearance shortly after the Big Ten championship game on December 1.
Undefeated St. Thomas (11-0) plays Elmhurst College(10-1) in a second round Division III football game starting at noon Saturday at O’Shaughnessy Stadium in St. Paul. Tommies coach Glenn Caruso said Elmhurst is in the playoffs for the first time in school history but playing with a lot of confidence after defeating previously unbeaten Coe.
He said Elmhurst has an experienced team, particularly on defense. The Blue Jays have 5-6, 170 running back Scottie Williams, a 1,928 yards rusher. Caruso said Elmhurst’s running game is focused inside, not on the perimeter. “They run the ball like the Steelers,” Caruso said.
The Tommies coach admires the resolve of his team. Players wear bracelets with the word “family”—an acronym for “forget about me, I love you.”
Caruso, who has had three consecutive undefeated regular seasons, said his Tommies are “winning the war of attrition.” St. Thomas graduated five All-Americans off last season’s team and some observers had lower expectations for the Tommies in 2012 even before injuries hit the team hard. “This is as cohesive a unit (team) as we’ve ever had,” Caruso said.
Caruso said on offense his top six receivers, two leading runners and two starting tackles are all freshmen.
The MIAC’s other football playoff team is Bethel (9-2) and a 24-23 winner over Concordia-Chicago last Saturday. Bethel plays at Wisconsin-Oshkosh (11-0) on Saturday.
Baseball’s winter meetings will be December 3-6 in Nashville. News of a Twins trade that includes a move or two to improve the pitching staff could surface about that time.
The annual TwinsFest will be January 25-27, 2013 at the Metrodome.
Gophers baseball coach John Anderson said players and staff laid 4,000 square feet of sod earlier this month for the new Siebert Field, and tomorrow a final 500 feet or so will be put in place for the on campus facility that will seat 1,500 and cost about $7.2 million. The sod efforts of players and staff will save about $8,000.00.
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