Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Well, I looked up some info on Minnesota but I won't go into too much detail about them.
Here's their team page on CBS Sportsline and their official basketball site if you want to look up some other stuff.
Looking at their schedule they are 2-7 against other NCAA tournament teams with the two wins coming at home against Wisconsin and Iowa State. They have losses against Alabama and Oklahoma in Alaska and against Illinois (twice), Iowa, and Michigan State (twice). They have a road win against Nebraska which is the only other common opponent besides OU and Iowa. They have a 6-4 record in their last 10 but won five of their last six.
Guard/Forward Vincent Grier is clearly their best player averaging 18.1 ppg (1st on team), 5.5 rpg (2nd), and 2.5 apg (2nd). Jeff Hagen, a 6-11 Center, should provide a formidable challenge to Jared Homan as the only other Gopher to average double figures in points (11.3 ppg) and also averages 5.5 rebounds. Although he has had some impressive games he seems to have a tendency to be forgotten about in games where he'll only take 2 or 3 field goal attempts in 30+ minutes. As a team they try to force some turnovers and are at the top of the Big 10 in field goal percentage defense. Offensively, they are at the bottom in turnovers so that has the potential to really help out if ISU gets their trap and press going.
Really, that was just a bare bones look at some of their stuff. Minnesota has the potential to play well but they haven't really shown me that they can beat the really good teams like ISU did during the conference season. ISU needs to come out fired up and ready to play. If their energy level is high they should be able to force Minnesota into a lot of turnovers leading to some fast break points and keeping Minnesota's defense from setting up. They do guard the three point line very well which might be a good thing if the guys know they can't settle for that shot all day. I don't mind shooting some open shots but if they aren't falling and our guys keep chucking it up there we'll get beat. This team loves to play on a big stage so I think they'll be ready for this. It should be a good game.
Also, here's a good article on Jared Homan ending up at ISU and talks about his parents driving to Charlotte listening to tapes of old Cyclones games. That sounds like the best way I could think of to pass 20 hours.
Another one from the Trib focusing on how excited he is to play in his first NCAA tourney when he grew up watching every Cyclone game he could.
Here's their team page on CBS Sportsline and their official basketball site if you want to look up some other stuff.
Looking at their schedule they are 2-7 against other NCAA tournament teams with the two wins coming at home against Wisconsin and Iowa State. They have losses against Alabama and Oklahoma in Alaska and against Illinois (twice), Iowa, and Michigan State (twice). They have a road win against Nebraska which is the only other common opponent besides OU and Iowa. They have a 6-4 record in their last 10 but won five of their last six.
Guard/Forward Vincent Grier is clearly their best player averaging 18.1 ppg (1st on team), 5.5 rpg (2nd), and 2.5 apg (2nd). Jeff Hagen, a 6-11 Center, should provide a formidable challenge to Jared Homan as the only other Gopher to average double figures in points (11.3 ppg) and also averages 5.5 rebounds. Although he has had some impressive games he seems to have a tendency to be forgotten about in games where he'll only take 2 or 3 field goal attempts in 30+ minutes. As a team they try to force some turnovers and are at the top of the Big 10 in field goal percentage defense. Offensively, they are at the bottom in turnovers so that has the potential to really help out if ISU gets their trap and press going.
Really, that was just a bare bones look at some of their stuff. Minnesota has the potential to play well but they haven't really shown me that they can beat the really good teams like ISU did during the conference season. ISU needs to come out fired up and ready to play. If their energy level is high they should be able to force Minnesota into a lot of turnovers leading to some fast break points and keeping Minnesota's defense from setting up. They do guard the three point line very well which might be a good thing if the guys know they can't settle for that shot all day. I don't mind shooting some open shots but if they aren't falling and our guys keep chucking it up there we'll get beat. This team loves to play on a big stage so I think they'll be ready for this. It should be a good game.
Also, here's a good article on Jared Homan ending up at ISU and talks about his parents driving to Charlotte listening to tapes of old Cyclones games. That sounds like the best way I could think of to pass 20 hours.
Another one from the Trib focusing on how excited he is to play in his first NCAA tourney when he grew up watching every Cyclone game he could.
# posted by Ben @ 5:49 PM 
