Saturday night Randy Foye asked a visitor in the Timberwovles’ locker room to say a prayer for him.  That response tells you something about his desire to receive a favorable progress report this morning when he receives medical tests on a sore left knee that has kept him from playing in all eight of the team’s regular season games.

Even the most favorable MRI or CT scan won’t return the second year guard to the starting lineup immediately.  He will need time to develop his conditioning, but from the coaching staff to the fans, anyone who has watched the Wolves lose seven of their first eight games knows the sooner he returns the better.

Not always, but often enough, the Wolves have crumbled in the fourth quarter.  As a rookie Foye scored 48 percent of his points for the season during the final period and overtime.  “He’s a big fourth quarter guy,” coach Randy Wittman said. “He showed that last year. …”

Foye, who made the NBA all-rookie team last season while averaging 10.1 points           and 2.8 assists per game, doesn’t expect to fail in pressure situations.  He told Sports Headliners that when he shoots the ball “there’s an 80 percent chance of going in” because of similar success in practice.

“I am never afraid to take the big shot, or to make the big play,” Foye said.  “Just because that’s just my personality.”

The 24-year-old, 6-foot-4 Foye was asked if he agreed that when he does return to the Wolves most of his minutes will be at point guard, rather than shooting guard.  “Definitely, I think it will be but I am just trying to get back right now (to the lineup),” he said.  “I am not worrying about minutes or anything. I am just trying to get back.”

Foye said the reason he injured his knee (stress reaction in his knee cap) is because he worked so hard during the off-season.  Although Foye’s timeline has changed for contributing this season, his desire hasn’t and that will ultimately benefit the Wolves.

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The annual TwinsFest is scheduled for Friday, January 25 through Sunday, January 27 at the Metrodome. More than 50 current, former and future Twins players are expected to attend.  On display will be a three-dimensional model of the new ballpark. The 5-foot by 5-foot model represents the most detailed depiction of what the new 40,000 seat ballpark will look like when it opens in 2010. TwinsFest is an annual fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund. Since its inception in 1989, the event has raised more than $3.3 million for programs and organizations supported by the fund.

Brian Buscher, who left the Venezuelan League early for family reasons, hit .279 with two home runs in 12 games, according to the Twins Web site.  Buscher, who batted .244 with the Twins last season with two home runs and 10 RBI, didn’t solve the team’s need at third base in his rookie year.  Sports Illustrated suggested in a recent issue that the Twins acquire Colorado third baseman Garrett Atkins for minor league pitchers Anthony Swarzak and Eduardo Morian.

Viking linebacker Chad Greenway has interest in a post-playing career in broadcasting, perhaps as a color commentator on football games.  During the next off-season he may spend time with well-known football and baseball broadcaster Joe Buck.  Greenway, a communications major at Iowa, has been a guest this fall on a couple of Tuesdays with KFAN’s Paul Allen and Jeff Dubay.  Greenway said he may do some work with KFAN during the off-season.

When the Gophers open their new stadium in 2009, they will have two of the most attractive non-conference opponents in years, Air Force and California.  The best previous home non-conference schedule was 1997 when Iowa State and Houston came here.

Oakland coach and Bloomington native Lane Kiffin answering a question about his interest when he was a candidate for the Gophers’ football job last January and whether he’s pleased it didn’t work:  “Yeah, actually I am glad (to instead be Oakland’s head coach). … I was very interested (in the Minnesota job) and had spent a day in the interview process. …I think the University is a great place and I think it’s a great job and I’m sure they’ll turn it around and get back to winning. …I don’t think that Wisconsin and Iowa has anything on the University of Minnesota. …”

The guess here is that the Wild will start negotiations with all-star forward Brian Rolston in January.  His contract expires after this season.  The 34-year-old wing has seven goals and seven assists so far this season.  Earlier in the year he tied a career high for most assists in one game, three against Columbus.

The Gopher hockey team had a 2-1 lead after two periods Saturday against Alaska Anchorage but lost to end a three game winning streak.  It was only the 15th time the Gophers have lost a game when leading after two periods in 203 such games during nine seasons under coach Don Lucia (176-15-12).

Gopher men’s and women’s basketball coaches Tubby Smith and Pam Borton have radio shows on WCCO that can be heard locally on Mondays at 7 and 7:30 p.m.

Sports Illustrated’s college basketball preview ranked Indiana No. 8 and Michigan State No. 11.  No other Big Ten Conference teams made the top 20.  The Gophers weren’t included in the magazine’s prediction of the 65 teams who will make the NCAA tournament.

Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman talking about his team prior to Saturday night’s game against New Orleans:  “I love these guys.  They’re coachable.  They play hard.  They play for the most part together.  So we just gotta keep fighting.  The record isn’t where we would like it to be but you know what, it’s big picture where we’re trying to get.”

The Timberwolves organization will partner with the Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund to host over 150 people, including returning military members and their families, for a Thanksgiving meal tonight (Monday) in Minneapolis. The event will feature players and coaches serving a complete Thanksgiving meal and bussing tables for the guests, plus providing autographs and posing for photos.

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The Timberwolves won their first game of the season Wednesday night after losing five straight. Only one loss was by more than eight points. With 10 new players who weren’t even on the roster last season, the franchise’s marketing campaign has been telling us to “See What They Can Do.”  Here are early impressions of both the team and several individuals.

The Wolves could have a couple more wins if they had shot more free throws or been better defensively.  Before Wednesday night’s 108-103 win over Sacramento, the Wolves had shot 92 free throws, while their opponents attempted 202.  Against the Kings, the Wolves had eight more free throw attempts than Sacramento.

A characteristic of the Wolves so far is that they don’t consistently stop other teams with their defense, including in the fourth quarter.  Matching basket for basket won’t produce wins without some key defensive plays.  The right players on the floor and fewer defensive lapses will help.

The development of rookie forward Corey Brewer, an energy guy with exceptional defensive skills, and the return of injured guard Randy Foye boosts the likelihood of the Wolves winning with some frequency.  When Brewer and center Theo Ratliff (he’s been an early season NBA leader in blocked shots) are in the lineup, the Wolves have two exceptional defenders, one who can guard on the perimeter, the other in charge of internal security.

Foye potentially solves two problems.  As a rookie last year, he was exceptional in the fourth quarter, scoring 48 percent of his points for the season during the final period and overtime.  The Wolves need a third reliable fourth quarter scoring alternative to join forward/center Al Jefferson and guard Rashad McCants. The return of Foye means he starts at point guard, replacing Marko Jaric and Sebastian Telfair, neither of whom has played like an NBA starter early in the season.

McCants, now in his third season, is producing  like an emerging star, averaging 18.6 points per game and making more than 50 percent of his field goals, including three pointers.  McCants, who had a career high 33 points Wednesday night, needs to sharpen up on defense and avoid unnecessary fouls that lessen his playing time.

Before the season it seemed a possibility that Foye, not a natural point guard, might play a lot of minutes at shooting guard, his more natural position, but the play of McCants has muted that notion.  At least for now.

With McCants, 23, either putting up jump shots near or far, or creatively driving to the basket, and with Jefferson, 22, tossing in six footers near the basket, the Wolves have developed an effective one-two scoring formula in early games.   Jefferson, 6-10, 265, is not only effective near the basket because of his size, he has extraordinary footwork.

The Wolves look organized offensively, defensively and in their collective heads.  Coach Randy Wittman has the team playing with energy, an absolute must for a young group trying to figure out who they are and how to play with one another.

The Wolves play Washington at home tonight (Friday) and New Orleans is at Target Center tomorrow night.

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