Gopher Hoops pulls to .500 in the Big Ten
Watched the Iowa/Gopher 'game' on Saturday. Surprised that the Hawkeyes hung tough (well, hung around is more like it) it was a pretty ugly game early as the Gopher's should have easily pulled away. I'll say it again, for as bad as Munson was a coach he got Al Nolen who took over the game and crush it down the stretch. Now sitting at 15-7 (5-5 in the Big Ten.) We'll need 5 more wins to have a chance at the Dance. Remaining schedule:
Illinois - Barn
'Sconny - Madtown
Michigan - Barn
Penn St. - Barn
Purdue - Purduetown
Ohio St. - Barn
Indiana - Bloomington
Illinois - Champaign
Considering Purdue beat 'Sconny, there are no real easy games left. Can we win 5 more?
5 Comments:
I saw a little of the game myself. I tuned in at the start of the second half and the annoucers promptly stated "Iowa has done pretty much everything wrong but yet are somehow still in this game." Glad to see the Gophers were able to close that one out.
Has "The Barn" always been painted at the stripe?
Switching to hockey, anyone see that guy get his throat slashed? Brutal, not as bad as the Sabre Goalie incident, but still bad.
February 11, 2008 at 10:16 AM
I actually watched the game as well (while toggling over to occasionally check in on the tape delayed Gophers v. Denver hockey game on the big ten network), and kept marveling at how Iowa was still in the ballgame. I guess hitting on 50% of your threes will do that. Anyway, I was thinking the same thing about Nolen. Dudes, that kid is going to be tough in years to come. He single-handedly sparked them to the win in the 2nd half, especially as it looked like they might fold after the Hawks took the lead.
Chuck, sounds like you adopted the "who needs it more" philosophy with Hoops (I understand if you never quite get there with football).
I think we need to sweep the home games and beat either Indiana, Purdue or Wisco on the road to get a berth. Illinois is better than their record indicates, but I don't think a road win in Champaign gets it done this year. The problem is the Gophers have ZERO signature wins over top 25 competition.
That throat slash was awful...the pool of blood on the ice made me sick.
February 11, 2008 at 12:13 PM
I'd be shocked if the gophers went to the dance this year....shocked. I'd say the gophers will take 3, maybe 4 of the next 8...Michigan, who is horrible, and PSU are must wins, and they should be able to get Illinois at home. Add that to one of the others on the whole "on any given Sunday" phenomenon.
All in all though, not bad considering where they've been and the improved talent they have coming in..should work out nicely for a strong push in 2009/2010.
Didn't see the throat slash- but I'm sure I'll be able to find 17 versions of it on YouTube...maybe one paired with a Celine Dion song-that would go nicely.
February 11, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Haven't seen the throat slash. Probably don't want to.
5 wins is key, not just because it would mean 10-8 in this woeful conference, but because to win 5you necessarily have to beat a currently ranked team. Even then, if your best win on the season is over #23 Purdue and you're .500 or a game better in this vintage of the Big Televen, you don't really deserve a shot. Would be nice to get some NIT experience, though, which could help in the coming years.
Can we start talking about the inevitable step backward next year, yet, as Illinois and Michigan improve and the Gophs are relying almost entirely on freshmen and sophomores? Or would that be raining on the parade? At the least, the progress will slow. These guys are on the steep part of the curve big time right now.
February 11, 2008 at 2:07 PM
MCA, good point on the step back we are probably gonna take next year. However, I'd rather have the "blood from next years stone" than the "blood from this years stone."
We should also probably set the over/under on Gopher football wins next year since apparently the class that is coming in is all going to start immediately. 4 wins with 1 in the Big Ten?
February 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
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