David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Dutcher: No Big Ten Teams to Final Four

Posted on March 14, 2012March 14, 2012 by David Shama

Don’t expect a Big Ten team to make the Final Four. That’s the opinion of former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher who still intently follows college basketball.

Dutcher’s Final Four picks are Kentucky, Syracuse, Missouri and Kansas. “I would pick Syracuse over Kansas, and I would pick Kentucky over Missouri, and then Kentucky to win it all,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners.

Michigan State is the No. 1 seed in the West Regional but Dutcher believes No. 2 seed Missouri will emerge as region champion. He’s impressed with coach Tom Izzo’s tournament record and likes Michigan State’s inside players, but is concerned about the Spartans three point shooting. “They can have those scoring droughts,” Dutcher said. “Not two or three minutes, they can go six, seven minutes without scoring a point when they don’t hit those threes.”

Michigan State and Ohio State, a No. 2 seed in the East Regional, are the highest seeds among six Big Ten teams in the tournament. The Buckeyes were 34-3 last season and 16-2 in the Big Ten, while this year’s club doesn’t seem as formidable, 27-7 and 13-6.

“There’s just something that’s holding them back a little bit and that something is the play of Buford (William),” Dutcher said. “He can be very good. But the games he doesn’t shoot the ball well, Ohio State has some trouble winning. They’re not as good as they were last year because (Jon) Diebler and (David) Lighty gave them two extra outside shooters. …I see them getting to the Elite Eight.”

Ask Dutcher about individual stars worth following in this tournament and he includes former Hopkins and Gophers forward Royce White whose versatility despite his bulky 6-8, 270-pound body has impressed many observers. Dutcher said White, an all-Big 12 Conference sophomore, could be the most difficult match-up in the country to figure out who guards him. White sometimes brings the ball up the floor for the Cyclones and triggers the offense. “He’s an intriguing player just because of the style of game that he plays,” Dutcher said.

Others worth watching include Kentucky freshman center Anthony Davis, a popular choice for player of the year, who is extremely athletic for 6-10. And former Gophers coach Dan Monson, now in his fifth season at Long Beach State, has 5-10 guard Casper Ware. “He’s really a dynamic little guy,” Dutcher said.

Long Beach State is in the NCAA tournament for the first time under Monson. The 49ers, a No. 12 seed, play New Mexico, a No. 5 seed, in an opening West Regional game tomorrow afternoon. New Mexico is coached by former Iowa coach Steve Alford, a friend of Monson’s going back to Big Ten days.

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100% Recovery Predicted for Rubio

Posted on March 14, 2012March 14, 2012 by David Shama

Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams told Sports Headliners he saw Ricky Rubio’s left knee give out before the rookie point guard collided with the Lakers Kobe Bryant last week. With a torn ACL, Rubio might not play again for the Wolves until October or November, and Williams acknowledged that the compacted NBA schedule caused by the labor dispute is hard on young and still maturing bodies.

“I think there are a lot of injuries this year that are caused by that with the lockout thing,” said Williams, a rookie like Rubio. “ … More injuries are going to occur because there’s more games in less time. I am not going to say that’s the reason why it happened (the Rubio injury), because everything happens for a reason. You never know about that situation. It’s just one hard cut. It happens like that sometimes.”

Wolves assistant coach T.R. Dunn, a former NBA guard, said last weekend he’s confident the 21-year-old Rubio will make a “100 percent” recovery. “He’s a tough kid. He’s a smart kid. He’ll do everything possible to get back and to be even bigger and better next year.”

Dunn said Rubio, a slender 6-4, can use his rehab time and the years beyond 2012 to strengthen his body. “He’s just gonna get stronger and be better without compromising anything as far his quickness and flexibility,” Dunn said.

Rubio was a candidate for Rookie of the Year before he was injured. His playmaking had a major impact on the Wolves becoming a .500 team after years of struggling.

“You don’t have a ceiling on him,” Dunn said. “He’s a bright young star. It’s just his first season and he’s made tremendous strides. I just see a lot of good things for him.”

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Worth Noting

Posted on March 14, 2012March 14, 2012 by David Shama

Head scratcher: the University of Washington won the Pac-12 regular season championship with a 14-4 record and didn’t receive an invitation to the NCAA tournament. When was the last time a champion from a conference like the Pac-12, Big Ten or ACC was excluded?

“I think if a team wins a major conference they’ve gotta be in the field of 68,” former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher said. “You know the game that knocked them out? South Dakota State went out there and beat them at Washington by about 20 points. (92-73). Ever since South Dakota State whipped them in the nonconference everybody just gave up on Washington. …”

There was speculation last summer about how effectively Timberwolves general manager David Kahn and new coach Rick Adelman would work together. “As far as I can see, it’s just excellent,” Wolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners. “There’s a good line of communication.”

Wolves forward Derrick Williams, 20, said there’s been no rookie wall for him and he’s “playing better than earlier in the season.” In two of his last three games Williams has scored 19 and 22 points (season average 8.8).

The NBA trade deadline is tomorrow. It seems obvious the Wolves want to move forward Michael Beasley but can’t find the right deal. Under Adelman, Beasley is no longer a starter and he’s seen his minutes reduced.

The Gophers, who play an opening National Invitation Tournament game in Philadelphia against LaSalle tonight on ESPN2, won the NIT in 1998 only to later have the title taken away because of the basketball program’s academic scandal. The Gophers also won the NIT in 1993. Minnesota is 18-11 in the tourney, the oldest in college basketball.

The St. Thomas women’s basketball team includes Carolyn Dienhart, a 5-6 senior guard, who is the daughter of former Gophers athletic director Mark Dienhart and now executive vice president and chief administrative officer at St. Thomas. The Tommies are in the Division III Final Four for the first time in 12 years and play Illinois Wesleyan on Friday in Holland, Michigan.

Hamline outfielder Andy King was the NCAA Division III Hitter off the Week last week. In four games against Wisconsin-Stout and Edgewood, he had nine hits in 12 at bats. The right-handed hitting senior from Fort Myers, Florida scored five runs and drove in 11 with four singles, a double, two triples and two home runs for a 1.667 slugging percentage.

NFL.com, SportingNews.com, Cbssports.com, Scouts. Inc. (ESPN.com) and SI.com all have the Vikings using the No. 3 pick in the first round of next month’s NFL draft to take USC left tackle Matt Kalil.

University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler told WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle audience on Sunday he doesn’t plan to cut the school’s 25 intercollegiate sports to save money, but instead wants to improve athletic budgets by increasing overall revenues.

Star Tribune columnist and WCCO Radio personality Sid Hartman will be 92 tomorrow, March 15.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said his players are reading the book Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance written by former Gophers quarterback and Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy.

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