Golden Gophers – Page 432 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers Basketball Notes

Posted on December 7, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

There’s talk the Gophers will be announced as one of the teams playing in the 2014 Preseason NIT Tournament. Sports Headliners reported recently the Gophers will participate in the 2013 Maui Invitational, and it’s known Minnesota will play in the 2012 Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas. Teams at the Atlantis tourney will include Duke and Louisville.

The 9-1 Gophers have been winning without injured players but did see the return of center Ralph Sampson III last night, contributing 10 points in a win over Appalachian State. “We’re gonna be a real good team once Ralph gets back,” guard Julian Welch said last weekend.

Even if the NCAA grants Trevor Mbakwe a medical redshirt allowing him to play next season, it’s probably a lock he won’t return to the Gophers unless his surgically repaired right knee has left him physically subpar and he requires more time to recover before he can compete on the pro level. Mbakwe is likely to try the NBA even as a second round draft choice, or use another pro basketball option.

Welch said “it helps a lot” playing more minutes now because he doesn’t worry about making a mistake and being removed from the game. In the Gophers first four games the junior college guard transfer never played 20 minutes but now is a team leader in both minutes and performance.

Rodney Williams likes the new assignment of playing power forward created by the absence of Mbakwe. “I’ve got a lot of mismatches because I can use my speed to get around the bigger guys,” he said recently.

The Gophers and Penn State are the only Big Ten teams who will play their first two conference games on the road. Minnesota is at Illinois December 27 and at Michigan January 1.

Tubby Smith, now starting his fifth season as Gophers coach, has a career 32-40 Big Ten record. After four seasons Dan Monson, his predecessor, was 26-38 in conference games.

The announced attendance for last Saturday’s Gophers women’s game against No. 1 ranked Baylor at Williams Arena (capacity 14,625) was 3,814. The Gophers trailed 48-21 at the half and lost 89-60.

This Friday at 5 p.m. is the deadline for men’s basketball season ticket holders who want to transfer their tickets to an “immediate family member,” according to an email from the Gophers athletic department.

Comments Welcome

Worth Noting

Posted on December 5, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

The 1962 Vikings lost seven consecutive games, the most in franchise history for one season. The 2011 team, now on a four game losing streak, could break the record by losing its last four games including the season finale at home on January 1 against Chicago.

Former Gopher wide receiver Eric Decker talking about his Denver quarterback teammate Tim Tebow who directed the Broncos to another close win yesterday against the Vikings: “He’s a miracle maker. He brings a positive attitude and optimism that has rubbed off on the guys. He does a great job.”

The Gophers 1972 Big Ten championship basketball team was honored at halftime of Saturday’s Minnesota-USC game at Williams arena. Among those in attendance were Ron Behagen, Jim Brewer, Corky Taylor, Clyde Turner, Greg Troland and Dave Winfield.

The Gophers were coached by the late Bill Musselman who loved to intimidate opponents and motivated his players by playing war songs in the locker room.

Gophers coach Tubby Smith after being asked about Rodney Williams’ spectacular 360 degree dunk in Saturday’s win against USC: “I didn’t see it. What did he do?”

The Timberwolves could put a starting lineup on the floor with players who were all top five draft choices. Forward Derrick Williams and center Darko Milicic were No. 2 overall choices, guard Wes Johnson a No. 4, and forward Kevin Love and guard Ricky Rubio both were No. 5 picks. Michael Beasley, who could win a job ahead of Williams, was also a No. 2 draft choice.

St. Thomas won its home football playoff game on Saturday against St. John Fisher and advances to the Division III semifinals but a less than capacity crowd was a disappointment.
The Mr. Football banquet will be Sunday afternoon at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. The 10 finalists for the award are: Beau Bofferding, Marshall; Jonathan Harden, Cretin-Derham Hall, Trey Heid, Lakeville North; Andrew Larson, Eden Prairie; Andre McDonald, Hopkins; Nate Meyer, Rocori; Phillip Nelson, Mankato West; Jonah Pirsig, Blue Earth Area; Sam Sura, South St. Paul; Tyler Vaughan, Braham. The Mr. Football program is sponsored by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Vikings.

Eden Prairie Class 5A state championship football coach Mike Grant will be the speaker on Thursday, January 12 at the C.O.R.E.S. luncheon in Bloomington. C.O.R.E.S. members can contact Jim Dotseth for more information, dotsethj@comcast.net. C.O.R.E.S is an acronym for coaches, officials, educators, reporters and sports fans.

The Wild announced that in partnership with West Bend and Kincaid’s Classic American Dining, the Wild About Children event last month raised $150,000 ─ the second largest fundraising total in event history. Over eight years, more than $814,000 has benefitted Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

Comments Welcome

U Must Step Up Without Mbakwe

Posted on November 30, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

Game One of the post-Trevor Mbakwe era starts tonight for the Gophers.

About 54 hours after the announcement that the senior forward is done for the season because of his torn right ACL, Minnesota (5-1) will play Virginia Tech (6-1) in a nationally televised Big Ten-ACC Challenge game from Williams Arena. Months ago the Gophers knew this would be a statement game, but no one had any idea the assignment was going to look so difficult.

“Anytime you lose your best player it puts you in a real bind,” Dan Dakich said. “You want other people to step up.”

Dakich, a former college player and coach now analyzing games for ESPN, includes Mbakwe among the top 10 players in the country. Few collegians impact a game like Mbakwe who was averaging 14 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season, after averaging a double-double last season including a Big Ten best 10.5 rebounds last year. He also ranks with the best shot blockers in the country and was a preseason All-American.

Mbakwe had improved his play this fall from last season. His free throw shooting and leadership had become assets for the Gophers. When the Gophers found themselves in close games, Mbakwe often was a difference maker.

That productivity had Dakich sympathizing with the Gophers this week. When he coached at Bowling Green, Dakich said he lost his best player during seven of 10 years.

Dakich suggested head coach Tubby Smith, his assistant coaches and the Minnesota players will have to avoid becoming “deflated” about Mbakwe. Even before the injury (sustained on Sunday in a loss to Dayton), the Gophers were predicted to finish among the bottom six Big Ten teams. Now no one will expect anything of Minnesota other than a fight to avoid last place in the conference.

Dakich said junior forward Rodney Williams and senior center Ralph Sampson III — both underachievers in the opinion of fans — must lead the Gophers now, replacing the scoring, rebounding, defense, and leadership missing without Mbakwe. Williams has been even more inconsistent than Sampson during his career but his athleticism is extraordinary. “It’s time he (Williams) played like an All-Big Ten kid,” Dakich said.

Sampson? “He has the ability and experience to be as good as any Big Ten player there is,” Dakich said.

Sampson’s lack of aggressiveness has characterized his career but Dakich said that needs to change. “You never want to leave college the way you came in. That’s your fault.”

Smith is in his fifth season at Minnesota and has lost key players because of injuries, transfers and off-court problems. Now comes the Mbakwe season ending injury. “This makes me sick for Tubby and the kids,” Dakich said.

Comments Welcome