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.”