A few of the readers mocked my trepidation over Minnesota...and before you mock any further, check out some stats:
The Gophers are:
#1 in the BT in scoring offense
#3 in FG %
#1 in FG defense (Purdue #2)
#3 in 3pt % (Hoffarber leads the league in 3s made)...
at the same time, Purdue's 10th in the same statistical category
#1 in blocked shots (Purdue's 2nd, but a distant 2nd- 34 behind)
#1 in steals
Atop of these eye-poppers, Minny has depth. 11 players average double-digit minutes.
They're a good team and they're fighting for their post-season lives. While you might not think Minnesota's 16 wins should strike fear in Matty's club, I'd almost guarantee that Painter respects Smith's squad.
My first key to the game is on-ball defense and making sure Purdue's switches effectively as Smith tries to get Westbrook and Hoffarber open looks. The second has been a key to this run- rebounding. Both Hummel and Johnson must control the glass.
This one is pivotal, in my opinion.
Did you need a reason to hate Goldy? Here you go.
14 comments:
I agree with you. This is one they need to really focus on and not play flat for half of the game. Tubby Smith is a good coach and he has improved Minnesota's team over the last few years.
There is an easy formulation for the rest of the season: just win. It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to be a W.
Anyone who mocks or overlooks Minnesota (especially at home) doesn't know Big Ten basketball, let alone college basketball. Do not forget our convincing win over the Gophers in Mackey was without Sampson III and Westbrook was in foul trouble all game.
Wednesday night in The Barn is no picnic...
It's interesting to me that their rankings are so high in so many critical categories and yet they're not in the race. Hard to blame coaching since you'd think Tubby is above-average in that respect... weird.
All 4 of Purdue's remaining games scare me.
This is the game that scares me the most. The Pomeroy ratings give Purdue only a 55% chance to win. All the rest of the games are about 80%. With the opportunity to essentially wrap up the conference title on Sunday, this is the protoypical trap game. However, the only good win they have in the conference is Wisconsin, as aOSU was without Turner when they beat them. The rest of their wins are PSU (twice), Iowa, Northwestern, and Indiana. Despite what the numbers may say, the W's and L's say they don't get it done. I think the Boilers keep it rolling here.
I think the outcome of this game for the Boilers will come in the production of the support players. I think that Minny will limit one of the Big Three just like OSU did to Hummel and ILL did to JJ. If Purdue can get either CK, KG, LewJack, Hart, or Barlow to break double figures and another one be real close, I think Purdue will come away with a W.
Tubby's team will be ready but I think the Boilers are focused on the task at hand. I look for it to be close but hopefully Matty's squad finds a way to win just like it has before during this 9 game run.
I thought that the Wisconsin loss at Minny would prove to be very important for our Boilers. This very well could have been a trap game looking ahead to MSU. I don't see that happening now that the Badgers got bumped there. Painter will have these guys ready and they are now fully aware that a top team in the conference can go down there. We just need to remain poised as we have the past few games and handle the press when they throw it at us. Purdue by 10.
Also, glad MSU went down, but it was impossible for me to root for OSU. I hate the whole group of them... players, coaches, and especially the FANS! I still can't beleive just how obnoxious and crude even the 8-yr olds were at the BBT Championship game last year. Down with OSU each and every game for the rest of the season... well, every season.
Oops.... BTT.
Agree about OSU. I can't root for them. I am not a fan of guys like BJ Mullens, PJ Hill, Dallas Lauderdale, and William Buford. Lighty and Diebler are tolerable. Turner plays unbelievably selfish. Many big name analysts are too busy drooling over him to notice him standing behind Diebler calling for the ball on that last play against Purdue, essentially taking himself out of the play and making it easier for Purdue to guard the other 4 guys in gray.
Wow - is that picture of the Gopher wearing a Favre Vikings jersey? If I ever see a picture of Pete wearing a Colts jersey(implying that Purdue fans are supposed to support Indy just because they're the nearest NFL team) I'd be furious.
By the way I agree with Boilerdowd: We can't afford to relax for ANY of our remaining games, even if we had a guaranteed #1 seed. See, there was this NFL team that tried that last season and it didn't work out to well for them.
I agree with the BoilerGal...Perhaps the Badgers going down in Minne was the best thing for our Boilers to see. Gophers are less likely to sneak up on us now.
Also, it is easy to get lazy in early January. It's cold. The season is no longer new and the tournaments seem so far away. February is much much different with your goals staring you in the face. It would be hard to imagine the Good Guys losing focus here. I think we learned our lesson in Evanston.
Last year they proved they could lose focus in late February. I don't think they make that same mistake twice. It'll be a battle for sure (especially next two games), but we will find a way. Full steam ahead!
David S - OSU had Evan Turner when the gophers beat them at home. He had 17 points and 9 rebounds.
Purdue should win this game but the gophers are on a bit of a hot streak right now and seem to be finding their stride. If we could clone Damian Johnson to cover Hummel and E.Moore I would like our chances. However, Purdue has too many big guns for us to handle. I just hope for a good game.
Purdue 72 MN 67
Oh my bad. I forgot that he was back for that one.
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