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.”

Comments Welcome

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.

Comments Welcome

Worth Noting

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

In the November issue of Sporting News Magazine writer Matt Hayes doesn’t include Wisconsin-Minnesota in his listing of top 10 college football rivalries. No. 1 is Alabama-Auburn with Ohio State-Michigan No. 2.

The late Sandy Stephens, a 2011 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, will be remembered at tomorrow’s game against Wisconsin. A National Football Foundation Hall of Fame salute will recognize the great career of Stephens. He was the first black All-American quarterback and a key contributor to Minnesota’s 1960 national championship and Rose Bowl teams.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi expects a decision “soon” on whether he will continue as Gophers athletic director after his contract ends next June. He said a mutual decision between himself and University president Eric Kaler could come before 2011 ends.

In a mid-season NFL evaluation, the November 7 issue of Sports Illustrated has the 8-0 Packers losing in the 2012 Super Bowl to the Patriots, 31-27. Next Monday the Vikings and Packers meet for the fourth time in seven years in a Monday night game.

Blooming Prairie coach Chad Gimbel earned his 100th career win last Friday night with a 20-14 victory over Southland. His 15 year record is 100-50-0. Blooming Prairie plays Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity tonight in a Class A quarterfinals playoff game.

A busy prep playoff week includes quarterfinal games in classifications ranging from nine-man football to Class AAAAA. Semifinal games will be played at the Metrodome November 18 and 19, with the finals November 25 and 26 in the dome.

MIAC football champion St. Thomas is awaiting a first round Division III opponent for a game on Saturday, November 19. Coach Glenn Caruso’s team has a 10-0 overall record, 8-0 in the MIAC. UST became the first conference team in 48 seasons to have consecutive unbeaten regular seasons, and the first ever to have consecutive 10-0 records. The Tommies allowed 100 points in 10 games, the fewest by an MIAC team since Saint John’s 2003 NCAA championship team gave up 95 during the regular season.

The No. 1 ranked Gophers hockey team, with the National Player of the Month for October in goalie Kent Patterson and the Rookie of the Month in Kyle Rau, plays in Madison tonight and tomorrow night in games televised respectively by FSN and the Big Ten Network. Minnesota coach Don Lucia’s team won’t play the Badgers again after this weekend until March 2 and 3 in Minneapolis.

Comments Welcome