March 12, 20179 yr Author I'm surprised Hurt and/or Gilbert didn't get any run. The guards had to run out of gas after the second half run. Pitino did say they would get extended work in practice leading up to the tourney. I still think they should get a game or two.
March 12, 20179 yr 63% in the first half, whatcha going to do? Falling behind that early and coming all the way back, combined with that physical game with Sparty and Pitino only using a 6 man rotation, just wore them down. If Springs doesnt get hurt, they win. They missed his influence today I thought. Crap, I hate Michigan.
March 12, 20179 yr I have to say I did not expect them do play as well as they have this season, and was also pleasantly surprised by their bounce back after the losing streak, I would not mind being as pleasantly surprised about the 2017 Twins.
March 12, 20179 yr Until Springs' injury, I thought they had the tools to make a nice run in the Dance. Now we have to add lack of depth and lack of outside shooting to their deficits. Curry has got to play better than he did in the last few games, the five starters all played pretty well today but they got nothing from their bench.
March 12, 20179 yr Until Springs' injury, I thought they had the tools to make a nice run in the Dance. Now we have to add lack of depth and lack of outside shooting to their deficits. Curry has got to play better than he did in the last few games, the five starters all played pretty well today but they got nothing from their bench.The bench was one guy though.
March 12, 20179 yr #5 seed, to play Middle Tennessee State, or as I affectionately call their football team, Blue Mountain State. They actually have a good path to the Sweet Sixteen. Go Gophers!
March 13, 20179 yr MTSU a tough draw, but can't complain. Hey!!! North Dakota is in for the first time ever. Drew Arizona in the 1st Round so it's Tucson vs. Grand Forks Chief. (Long Pause) I wish this was Hockey instead!!!
March 13, 20179 yr Hey!!! North Dakota is in for the first time ever. Drew Arizona in the 1st Round so it's Tucson vs. Grand Forks Chief. (Long Pause) I wish this was Hockey instead!!! That's a tough draw too. For UND.
March 13, 20179 yr I fear it's gonna be one and done for the Gophers, in fact Vegas has MTSU as a pick em game.
March 13, 20179 yr I agree with Vegas. Certainly not a "gimme" for the Gophers. Almost everyone thinks MTSU was undervalued as a #12 seed and I thinks so, too. The other half of the equation is that many national types doubt the Gophers should have been a #5 since Bucky was a #8 and Michigan a #7. I think Minnesota has been underrated by the polls all year and earned the 5 seed and they should beat Middle Tennessee, but they will need some help from guys who haven't played much.
March 13, 20179 yr I like everyone picking Middle Tennessee. They're not going to sneak up on anyone this year. And remember, they lost by 25 to Syracuse in their second round game last year. My pick is Gophers by at least 10.
March 13, 20179 yr Middle Tennessee SOS ranking is 151, RPI 35 Gophers SOS ranking 20, RPI 20 MTS has only played 5 games against teams ranked in the top 100, they are 4-1Gophers have played 20 games against top 100 opponents, they are 12-8. I agree with Chipper, I think the Gophers win by 8-10.
March 13, 20179 yr I agree as well. I'm done underestimating this squad.A deep run would sure be fun, although Butler is a tough draw too.
March 16, 20179 yr i posted this on GopherHole and thought I'd share it here: Lots of noise is made about 12 seeds upsetting 5 seeds in the NCAA tournament. Since 2008, 12 seeds have won 17 of the 36 contests - just under half. With our mighty Golden Gophers matched up against some little school from the middle of Tennessee, I looked through the brackets on SR-CBB to see if the results are different when a 5 seed from a power conference plays a mid-major. I also broke down the other three possible matchups. Turns out the big schools do just fine. For this exercise, power conferences are Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, Pac 12, ACC and SEC. Sorry, MWC, A10 and AAC! *upset P6 5 vs Mid 122016 Indiana over Chattanooga*2016 Yale over Baylor2016 MD over SDkSU*2016 UALR over Purdue2015 WV over Buffalo2015 Utah over SFA2015 Arkansas over Wofford*2014 NDSU over Oklahoma2012 Vandy over Harvard2011 K State over Utah State*2011 Richmond over Vandy2011 Arizona over Memphis2010 Texas A&M over Utah St2010 Michigan St over New Mexico St*2009 WKY over Illinois2009 Purdue over UNIa2008 Notre Dame over George Mason2008 Michigan st over Temple 5 of 18 (28%) upsets. That's not especially Cinderellaey. P6 5 vs P6 12*2013 Oregon over OKSt*2013 Ole Miss over Wiscy2011 WV over Clemson*2009 Wisconsin over Florida St*2008 Villanova over Clemson 4 of 5 (80%) upsets. Mid 5 vs P6 122014 StL over NC State*2013 Cal over UNLV*2012 SFla over Temple*2009 Arizona over Utah (MWC) 3 of 4 (75%) upsets, making 7 of 9 total for P6 12 seeds. There's apparently nothing more dangerous than a pissed-off power conference bubble team! Mid 5 vs Mid 122015 UNIa over Wyoming*2014 Harvard over Cincinnati (AAC)*2014 SFA over VCU2013 VCU over Akron*2012 VCU over Wichita St2012 New Mexico over Long Beach*2010 Cornell over Temple2010 Butler over UTEP*2008 WKY over Drake 5 of 9 (56%) upsets. I imagine lots of small-school losers dribbling balls off their feet and passing to the refs in these clown-show games. P6 is 16-6 (73%) vs Mids regardless of seed in 5-12 games. Mid-major 5 seeds only manage to win 38% of the time. The fearsome reputation of the 12 seed is built on the ashes of mid-majors.
March 16, 20179 yr Gophers are a one-point underdog according to my ESPN app. I just read the headline the MTSU is the first #12 seed favorite vs. a #5 since 1999. Well, expectations nationally aren't very high, are they?
March 16, 20179 yr Gophers are a one-point underdog according to my ESPN app. I just read the headline the MTSU is the first #12 seed favorite vs. a #5 since 1999. Well, expectations nationally aren't very high, are they?I heard Pitino had em out on the court last night, with a tape measure. "Measure this from the rim, Murph." "How far...ten feet." "I think you'll find this is the exact same measurement as the barn back in 'Sota."
March 16, 20179 yr Hope the Gophers go in with a bit of a chip on their shoulder from the doubters. I find it funny most pundits are betting on MTS based on the fact they beat MSU in last years tourney and are returning most of their players from that team.
March 16, 20179 yr I hope you guys are going to see an entertaining game this afternoon. I'm one of those people who fills out a bracket and proceeds to watch very little of the tournament. If they lose, blame it on me selecting the motherland to win today.
March 16, 20179 yr Not looking promising.....gonna be down 7 in the first half soon. Not over by any means....
March 16, 20179 yr It would appear that everyone that said MN was ranked too highly in the tourney was correct, alas.....though I guess there is still time. Glad I didn't leave early to watch this...
March 16, 20179 yr Haven't seen a Pitino get finished this quickly since Karen Sypher. Edited March 16, 20179 yr by DaveW
March 16, 20179 yr It would appear that everyone that said MN was ranked too highly in the tourney was correct, alas.....though I guess there is still time. Glad I didn't leave early to watch this...Yeah there is something seriously messed up when a 12 seed is a 2 point favorite over a 5 seed.In reality Minnesota was prob closer to a 8 seed currently, and MTSU was closer to a 5-6 seed.
March 16, 20179 yr Well, as a positive, Pitino should be staying in Minnesota... That's usually the first fear we have, when X coach leaves for a better job.
March 16, 20179 yr Haven't seen a Pitino get finished this quickly since Karen Sypher.Be honest, you've been sitting on that one, haven't you?
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