The feel good experience of recent weeks could ensure that the basketball Gophers return all 12 of their underclassmen for next season.  The Gophers have won seven of their last 10 games, and play an opening West Regional NCAA Tournament game in Milwaukee against Xavier starting at 11:25 a.m. on Friday.

The Gophers entered last week’s Big Ten Tournament as an unlikely candidate to be invited to the NCAA Tournament, but they impressed the selection committee by winning three consecutive games before losing on Sunday to Ohio State in the championship game.  A couple of hours later Gopher players wore huge smiles when they heard the news that their goal of making the tournament had been realized.

The expressions on their faces and body language were a contrast to earlier in the season when disappointment and frustration were evident.  On February 14 the Gophers had lost six of their last eight conference games.  Their league record was 5-7, overall the Gophers were 14-10.  Not the stuff of teams headed to the NCAA tournament.

Frustration was evident by both players and coaches.  Maybe relationships were strained, too.  Rumors began during the Big Ten season that players might transfer.

Jim Dutcher has been in the theatre of long seasons and emotional highs and lows.  The former Gophers coach and assistant at Michigan was asked if the NCAA invitation and improved team play will make a difference if those rumors were true.

“Yeah, it really helps,” he said.  “…Now that they’re in the tournament (with) a chance to win really a game or two. ..I think all that goes away.  I don’t think you’re going to see anybody leaving.”

Sophomore center Colton Iverson, who for much of the season has been a sub behind Ralph Sampson III, was rumored to be a transfer candidate but Iverson’s father Chuck told Sports Headliners on Monday he’s not heard of such intent. “He’s never mentioned it to me,” Chuck Iverson said.

His son Colton has been in step with the Gophers’ recent improvement.  In the Big Ten Tournament Iverson scored in double figures during the Gophers’ three wins, making 15 of 20 shots.  For the season he’s averaged 5.0 points per game.

Chuck, who played basketball at South Dakota and was drafted by two pro teams, said that earlier in the season Colton wanted to help more and was frustrated with the team’s struggles.  “I told him to work hard and stay positive,” Chuck said.  “I coached a lot of years and players go through cycles.”

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There may not be many certainties in sports but count on the Timberwolves finishing the season with a robust losing streak.  The Wolves, 14-54, have lost 10 consecutive games, and 16 of their last 17.

To the naïve this is bad news, but to many Wolves fans the losing streak is  celebrated.  The Timberwolves have the worst record in the Western Conference having lost six more games than their nearest “competitor,” the Golden State Warriors, 18-48.  The disrespected New Jersey Nets have the NBA’s sorriest record at 7-60 and are a team that probably could make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Of course neither the Nets nor the Wolves basketball decision makers are much interested these days in whether you or I respect their teams.  The more pathetic the records, the greater the odds of winning the NBA draft lottery and choosing No. 1 in the league draft this June.

The Wolves, who never have lucked into the No. 1 pick, could be more fortunate this year.  Presumably that will result in Kentucky point guard John Wall, 19, joining up with the Timberwolves, already a young team with six players 24 or younger.

Wall will make the Wolves better but this is a franchise that collectively has to improve defensively.  A lot.  The Wolves rank second to last among NBA teams in defensive points per game at 107.4.  Last night they gave up a franchise record 152 points in a 152-114 loss to Phoenix.

Coach Kurt Rambis knows the Wolves need to make personnel changes to better that defense.  The acquisition of 7-foot, 24-year-old journeyman center Darko Milicic in February was an example, according to the Wolves’ first year coach.  Unlike undersized power forwards Kevin Love and Al Jefferson, Milicic can guard opposing centers one-on-one.

Milicic has shown enough since coming here from the New York Knicks to make the Wolves hope he doesn’t make good on previously announced plans to play basketball in Europe next season.  His career numbers per game support the journeyman label: 5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, but Rambis contends it often takes young players, particularly big guys, time to mature and fulfill their potential as NBA players.  With the Wolves Milicic, who is playing part-time and averaging about 22 minutes per game, has on occasion been one of the team’s best players such as last week against the Denver Nuggets when he had seven first quarter rebounds.  In 11 games with the Wolves Milicic is averaging 5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds.

Milicic’s basketball IQ is welcome on a team that needs more smarts.  He might set a timely screen, throw an unselfish pass or make a subtle defensive adjustment to help his teammates.

Rambis was asked last week if there was any player, past or present who Milicic reminds him of.  “I am not saying that he relates to him or even resembles him but we were going through a practice the other day and he was catching the basketball and he was just throwing passes all over the place, picking out his teammates,” Rambis said.  “Corey Brewer yelled out, ‘Arvydas Sabonis,’ which was surprising on two counts.  That Corey actually knew who he (Sabonis) was.  But also just his (Milicic’s) understanding of the game, and somebody of that size and capability who can put the ball on the floor.  He can pass; can shoot the basketball from the outside, play with his back to the basket. …”

Sabonis, 7-4, was a legendary European center known for his gifted passing who came to the NBA past his prime.  Milicic will never be a Sabonis but if he plays effectively in the Wolves’ 14 remaining regular season games, he will create some optimism about the franchise’s future.  If Milicic is not so good, he helps in the drive to finish last in the Western Conference and luck into lottery bliss.

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Wolves 30-year-old forward Damien Wilkins, who has played on three NBA teams, was asked if all the losing has resulted in Rambis and the other coaches being tuned out by the players.  “I haven’t seen that around here,” he said last week.  “Not yet anyway, and I would be the first to speak about it if I did. …”

Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith receives a bonus of $100,000 for his team qualifying for the NCAA tournament.  Smith can earn certain bonuses as part of the contract he received to come here and accept a lesser salary than he earned at Kentucky, according to Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi.  Smith made $2.1 million at Kentucky and at Minnesota is earning more than $1.8 million in salary this year.  If the Gophers had won Sunday’s Big Ten championship tournament game Smith would have earned another $100,000.

ESPN basketball expert Andy Katz likes the Gophers chances of advancing past Xavier on Friday.  https://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2010/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=4996834

The NCAA men’s basketball field seems likely to be expanded to 96 teams next year so that the NCAA can make more TV money.  Increasing the field from 65 to 96 means more games which translates into more advertising revenues.  The result will be little suspense over which teams qualify and mediocre early round games, but in sports money and TV are usually first priority.

Maturi said his department hopes to complete fundraising for a new Siebert Field in time to start construction next year.  The present field, which is useable, will be moved about 30 feet as part of the new stadium construction.  Maturi said the present stands and amenities aren’t “very good,” so the team is playing all its home games except one at the Metrodome.

A first visit to Target Field for some fans will mean watching amateur baseball. The Gophers play Louisiana Tech in the first ever game in the facility on Saturday, March 27.  Also, the high school state championship games on Saturday, June 19 will be in the new stadium.  The Class A game will be played at noon, followed by Class AA at 3 p.m. and Class AAA at 6 p.m.

Twins pitcher Jesse Crain probably has the best fast ball of any relievers being discussed to fill Joe Nathan’s closer role but Crain needs to be more consistent than in the past.

Twins executives involved with the Target Field project will be both pleased and relieved when the stadium opens.  Executives have been doing two jobs, their regular assignments and also work that has involved the planning, construction and initial operation of the new ballpark.

If it seems like there are a lot of baseball games on TV this spring, that’s because there are. The MLB Network is televising 78 games including 45 live.  All 30 major league teams are scheduled to be on at least three times during spring training.

Don’t be surprised if the Vikings fill their need to replace No. 2 running back Chester Taylor through the draft.  The Vikings pick at No. 30 in the first round and Toby Gerhart, who was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, could be available.  The scouting report is he blocks effectively, a key attribute needed to replace Taylor.

Minnesota State University, Mankato earned the top spot in the NSIC / U.S. Bank All-Sports Award competition following the winter sports season.  Augustana College is second while Minnesota Duluth, the leader after the fall sports season, is third.  The NSIC All-Sports Award is presented annually at the NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet in July. Minnesota State won the award last year.

St. Thomas junior center Rachel Booth and Gustavus Adolphus senior guard Bri Radtke have been named finalists for the State Farm Coaches’ Division III All-America Team, according to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).  Booth led the MIAC in blocks and rebounds and was also in the top five in points and field-goal percentage. She broke UST school records for blocked shots in a game (eight) and season (93).  Radtke was named Conference Player of the Year by league coaches.  She tied for the MIAC lead with 4.41 assists per game and was fifth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 1.76.

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