Golden Gophers – Page 433 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers Carry Memories of Last Season’s Wisconsin Win

Posted on November 11, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

There was less than seven minutes to play in the game last fall and Wisconsin scored against the Gophers, pushing their lead to a more than safe 25 points. Badgers coach Bret Bielema called for a two-point conversion, trying to increase the score to 43-16.

The conversion attempt failed and to Gophers fans so did Bielema’s post-game explanation that his play card called for a two-point conversion rather than kicking the extra point. Minnesotans, already aware of the testy relationship between Bielema and Gophers coach Tim Brewster, saw the drama as an attempt to run up the score, even if only by a couple more points.

The incident is remembered by the Gophers who tomorrow play Wisconsin at TCF Bank Stadium. “It did sting,” sophomore cornerback Brock Vereen said. “The game as a whole stung the most, but that added to it a little bit. I know that guys on the team are going to use that to bring with them Saturday.”

The 2-7 Gophers will not lack for motivation against the 7-2 nationally ranked Badgers. Wisconsin-Minnesota is the most played rivalry in the FBS, with the series dating back to 1890. The Gophers have lost seven consecutive games to Wisconsin and would like to regain Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

Wisconsin is more than a 25 point favorite to win but predictions the Gophers will lose is nothing new to a team that is 1-4 in the Big Ten and has mostly been an underdog all season. “I think going into every game we’ve seen ourselves as underdogs and that’s helped us,” Vereen said. “We always play with nothing to lose and that helps us play loose, and helps us play fast.”

With three games remaining on their schedule the Gophers can’t qualify for the necessary six wins to be bowl eligible. A win over the Badgers would take some pain out of a season that includes a 58-0 loss to Michigan and 45-17 loss to a mediocre Purdue team.

“It would be huge (a win tomorrow),” Vereen said. “This is the biggest rivalry in college football. This is a game that is always circled on our schedule. The city is going to be going wild and I am sure they’re (the Badgers) going to bring a lot of their people with them. It’s just a moment that you want to relish and you can’t wait to get to it.”

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U Needs More than Mbakwe Heroics

Posted on November 11, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

The basketball Gophers have been something of a one-man team in two exhibition game wins. The hope starting tonight at home with the regular season opener against Bucknell has to be that preseason All-American forward Trevor Mbakwe can sustain his heroics in most upcoming games and teammates will pitch in with more support.

Mbakwe scored on 13 of 15 field goals and 13 of 14 free throws in closer than expected wins over Bemidji State and Augustana (Sioux Falls). His totals of 39 points and 24 rebounds made it at least somewhat comfortable for the Gophers to earn 71-58 and 72-60 wins against a pair of Division II opponents.

In one of the most impressive second half performances for a Gopher seen in awhile, Mbakwe scored 16 points, had eight rebounds and five blocked shots against Augustana on Monday night at Williams Arena. The Gophers trailed the Vikings 38-33 at halftime and Minnesota had a 63-60 lead with 3:10 remaining in the game.

Only junior forward Rodney Williams with 10 points joined Mbakwe in double figures scoring. But more production is expected of Williams and also senior center Ralph Sampson III. Along with Mbakwe, they are the three Minnesota upperclassmen who have played Big Ten basketball. Sampson’s performance against the Vikings included seven turnovers and three points.

In the first two games coach Tubby Smith has given significant playing minutes to seven players who are either freshmen or sophomores, plus junior college transfers and newcomers Julian Welch and Andre Ingram. Collectively they’ve often looked unsure and when the Gophers play without Mbakwe on the floor the team usually struggles.

There’s not much doubt the Gophers need to improve to defeat Bucknell tonight at Williams Arena. The Bison are a favorite to win the Patriot League championship and center Mike Muscala, from Roseville Area High, is a mid-major preseason All-American. Bucknell has four starters back from a team that was 25-9 overall, 13-1 in the Patriot League and lost in the NCAA tournament to eventual national champion Connecticut.

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Worth Noting

Posted on November 9, 2011December 28, 2011 by David Shama

Today begins the fall signing period for college basketball teams and these are heady times for Big Ten schools. Michigan is expected to sign a top two or three player in Mitch McGary. The Wolverines and Indiana may have 2012 recruiting classes that are close to the best in the nation. Iowa might end up with a top 25 class. Based on 2011 recruiting classes, or projected classes for 2012, the following Big Ten schools either were or could be (again) top 25 ranked: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State.

As reported here on Monday, it looks like the Gophers will sign forward Charles Buggs from Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia and Wally Ellenson of Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

How about this for freak scheduling? The No. 1 ranked Gophers hockey team is in Madison for games on Friday and Saturday against Wisconsin, while the Badgers football team plays Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, and then Monday night a national TV audience will watch the Vikings try to upset the undefeated Packers in Green Bay.

Jerry Kill, Gophers coach, talking about a Wisconsin team that except for two last minute plays would be undefeated: “We’re going to have to play our guts out.”

Vikings lineman Jared Allen, a top candidate to be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the favorite for league MVP, will have a national stage to bolster resumes.

The Vikings, 2-6, don’t command a lot of national respect but they may make Monday night’s game close against the 8-0 Packers. The Vikings have not only found a quarterback in Christian Ponder, but are coming off a bye week that allows players to rest bodies and minds. Because the game is Monday night, the Vikings didn’t practice yesterday and won’t today either.

Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson is being promoted by the school for the Heisman Trophy. He was made available to media, including Minnesota reporters, on Monday via teleconference. That’s uncommon practice for a Big Ten player.

Local author Ross Bernstein has a new book, Raising Lombardi: What It Takes to Claim Football’s Ultimate Prize. He interviewed more than 75 current and former NFL players and coaches who were champions.

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference begins play in 2013 and is expected to announce the name of its commissioner in about 60 days. The league will be based in Colorado Springs and members will be Colorado College, Denver, Miami (Ohio), Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, St. Cloud State, UMD and Western Michigan. The 2013 start coincides with the beginning of the six team Big Ten comprised of Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin.

Don’t expect the Twins to sell a reduced number of season tickets for next year despite the team’s awful 2011 record. Target Field remains a valued entertainment destination and the franchise has long maintained a list of potential season ticket buyers.

The volleyball Gophers, including the co-Big Ten Player of the Week Ashley Wittman host Michigan State tonight in a match televised by the Big Ten Network.

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