From The Barn

Blake Hoffarber is Big Ten Player of the Week

Posted on 21. Dec, 2009 by JF.

Not bad…not bad at all…
The conference office announced on Monday the sixth weekly men’s basketball award for games played Dec.14-20. Minnesota junior Blake Hoffarber collects his first weekly award after helping the Gophers improve their win streak to four with a win over Northern Illinois last week.
Player of the Week:
Blake Hoffarber, Minnesota
6-4 – G – [...]

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Quick Thoughts: Gophers 89 – Northern Illinois

Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by JF.

It is always a pleasant surprise when a boring non-conference game is not only interesting, but worth talking about for days (years?) to come.

Blake Hoffarber set a school record with 8 three pointers, and scored 26 points on 11 shots in only 22 minutes.  He made four threes in a row in the first half, [...]

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Livechat: Gophers vs. Northern Illinois

Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by JF.

Warning, you may need the company of others to make this game watchable.

Livechat: Gophers vs. UNI – Fullscreen

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Game 11 Preview: Tempo-free stats instead Huskie analysis

Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by JF.

Golden Gophers vs. Norther Illinois Huskies
7:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Radio: WCCO 830 AM
TV: Big Ten Network
Tickets: Best available- Row 10 upper deck, free throw line
Liveblog: We’ll have a chatroom up
When the final horn sounds tonight making official what will inevitably be a blowout win over the Northern Illinois Huskies, there will [...]

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Game 10 Review: Gophers step it up even if the competition doesn’t

Posted on 13. Dec, 2009 by JF.

St. Joe’s is the best opponent to set foot in The Barn this season, by far, but after a close opening few minutes, the Gophers took over, and the only question about the game’s outcome by half time was the final score. Even though Minnesota’s 97-74 victory was their closest home win of the season, [...]

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Game 10 Preview: Gophers vs. St. Joseph’s

Posted on 11. Dec, 2009 by JF.

Golden Gophers vs. St. Joseph’s Hawks
3:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Radio: WCCO 830 AM
TV: Big Ten Network
Tickets: Best available- Row 11 upper deck, corner
Stupid mascots never die, they just stand in the corner suffering from repetitive stress injuries. And that is exactly what will be on display on Saturday afternoon when the [...]

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Game 9 Review: If you were stuck in traffic you didn’t miss much

Posted on 09. Dec, 2009 by JF.

So much for Morgan State presenting a potential challenge. The Gophers jumped out to an 18-0 lead, and were up 9-0 before the Bears even attempted a shot. Morgan State essentially played the Gophers even for the middle 30 minutes of the game, but still lost 94-64.
This may have been the most meaningless of a [...]

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Quick thoughts: Gophers 94- Morgan State 64

Posted on 08. Dec, 2009 by JF.

I’ll be back tomorrow for a complete recap, weather and traffic permitting. Until then:

Damian Johnson left the game in the second half with an injured wrist. He went briefly to the locker room, and then returned to the bench. With the game out of hand, there wasn’t really any reason to put him back in [...]

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Game 9 Preview: Gophers vs. Morgan State

Posted on 07. Dec, 2009 by JF.

Golden Gophers vs. Morgan State Bears

6:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Radio: WCCO 830 AM

TV: ESPNU
Tickets: Best available- Row 12 upper deck, center court
The bubble isn’t usually mentioned until the end of January, but that is where the Gophers find themselves, and it is only December. Williams Arena is not likely to be raucous [...]

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Blake’s Boards Bash Brown

Posted on 06. Dec, 2009 by JF.

After three straight losses, the Gophers needed a confidence building spark, and they got it from the most methodical and least exciting player on the team, Blake Hoffarber. The junior guard formerly known as the three point specialist led all players in scoring and rebounding to record the first double double of his career, leading [...]

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Game 7 non-review, Game 8 non-preview: The season at a cross roads

Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by JF.

I’ll spare you the gory details of what has become a disturbing trend; Minnesota’s inability to close the door on a winnable game. I could throw statistic after statistic at you, try to determine the exact moment that things began to slip away, and bemoan what has become of a team that just last week [...]

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Liveblog: Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes

Posted on 02. Dec, 2009 by JF.

We’ll get going just before the tip!
Minnesota Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes

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Game 7 Preview: Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by JF.

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes

6:15 pm (CST) at the BankUnited Center

Radio: WCCO 830 AM
TV: ESPN U
Liveblog:

Redemption is only just a game away, and the Gophers have a chance to not just end their early season slide, but also to make a statement, represent their conference, and vault themselves back into the Top 25.
By [...]

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Operation Crash Carver

Posted on 30. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Tickets are now on sale for Minnesota’s road game at Iowa. How fun would it be to show those dreaded Iowans that Gopher fans can travel well too.
The game will take place on January 2, 2010. The second being a Saturday and the first being a holiday, it is the perfect time to travel to [...]

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Game 6 Review: Clutch slump continues

Posted on 29. Nov, 2009 by JF.

The Gophers now know who they are and where they are, and now they can learn and grow. This weekend’s 76 Classic didn’t turn out the way most people thought or hoped, especially after the win against Butler that is growing less impressive by the day (Butler barely beat UCLA and lost a nail-biter to [...]

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Liveblog: Golden Gophers vs. Texas A&M Aggies

Posted on 29. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Gophers vs. Texas &M

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Game 5 Mini-review, Game 6 Preview: Gophers vs. Texas A&M

Posted on 29. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Texas A&M Aggies

4:00 pm (CST) at the Anaheim Convention Center

Radio: WCCO 830 AM
TV: ESPN 2

The score of a basketball game is not determined at the end of the year after all games have been played. The better team at the end of the season is not awarded an automatic [...]

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Liveblog: Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Portland Pilots

Posted on 27. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Join us to discuss tonight’s game, technical difficulties be damned!
76 Classic: Gophers vs. Butler

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Game 5 Preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Portland University Pilots

Posted on 27. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Portland Pilots
7:30 pm (CST) at the Anaheim Convention Center

Radio: WCCO 830 AM

TV: ESPN U

So much for a chance to celebrate. Less than 24 hours after defeating #10 Butler, the Gophers will play the Portland Pilots out of the West Coast Conference at 8:30 pm in the semi-finals of the 76 [...]

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Game 4 Review: Iverson crashes boards, Butler

Posted on 27. Nov, 2009 by JF.

It was awkward, disjointed, often sloppy, but it was a win. In a game that featured more whistles than an Andrew Bird and Bobby Mcferrin duet, the Gophers beat the Butler Bulldogs by a score of 82-73. This was Minnesota’s second non-conference top ten win in the last two seasons, and this win over Butler [...]

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Live Blog: Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Butler Bulldogs

Posted on 26. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Join us for our most food oriented live blog since last season’s Iowa game, when the big question was whether the pizza ordered during a blizzard would arrive before the Gophers scored 40 points. Tonight’s big question, is it possible to type, eat pecan pie, and watch the Gophers. We’ll find out around 7:30.
Gophers vs. [...]

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Back by popular demand: “On Giving Thanks”

Posted on 26. Nov, 2009 by JF.

I originally wrote this last Thanksgiving. My fiance thought I should resurrect it for today. She is in charge of the sweet potatoes today, which includes, of course, marshmallow distribution. Needless to say, this is a small sacrifice to make, infinitely smaller than giving up marshmallows on the sweet potatoes.
Luckily, everything that I wrote [...]

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Game 4 Preview: Gophers vs. Butler

Posted on 25. Nov, 2009 by JF.

University of Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Butler University Bulldogs
7:30 pm (CST) at the Anaheim Convention Center

Radio: WCCO 830 AM

TV: ESPN 2

And now the season really begins. Sure those three other games count, but the outcomes were never in doubt and the results would have only mattered had the Gophers lost, and if they had, you [...]

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Mbakwe and Bostick about to be back?

Posted on 25. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Finally a bit of good news?
Smith said Bostick should be back for next week’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge game at Miami on Dec. 2. Bostick did what he was supposed to do and is scheduled to be cleared by UM athletic director Joel Maturi.
 Smith said Mbakwe could be back with the team any day because they [...]

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The 76 Classic: Bulleted, bold predictions, and the bracket

Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Part two of our 76 Classic preview, a random cornucopia to prepare you for the weekend’s basketball smorgasbord.
The Stats
Eight statistics that you’ll want to remember while watching the tournament.

Minnesota has forced more turnovers than any team in the country (35.4% of defensive possessions) and is second in blocks and steals.

Butler hasn’t shot better than 47% [...]

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76 Classic Preview: The Teams

Posted on 23. Nov, 2009 by JF.

This is part one  of a three part preview of this week’s 76 Classic in Anaheim, California. Part one will focus on the participants, part three will focus on Minnesota’s first round game against Butler. Part two is still up in the air. If you have an idea for this part of the preview or [...]

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Game 3 Review: Another lop-sided win, at least on the scoreboard

Posted on 21. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Thursday’s 76-51 win against Utah Valley came in Minnesota’s third game of the young season, and was also their last true tune-up of the young season. On Thanksgiving night, and two days thereafter, the Gophers begin what could potentially be their most difficult stretch of the season at the 76 Classic in Anaheim California. [...]

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Highlights from last night

Posted on 20. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Rodney Williams, dunks, etc.

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Quick Thoughts: Gophers 76 Utah Valley 51

Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by JF.

To be expanded upon at a later time…

Lawrence Westbrook is to the Gophers’ offense what Damian Johnson is to the defense. Westbrook was out with food poisoning, and the Gopher offense was out of it.
Bold prediction: Rodney Williams will be the Big Ten freshman of the year.
The little kid basketball half-time scrimmage was more fundamentally [...]

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Liveblog: Gophers vs. Utah Valley

Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by JF.

Back by semi-popular demand, a chatroom for tonight’s game. Discuss Minnesota’s first real-TV game of the season, and if you are up for it, any of the actually competitive games on TV. We are still looking for a Cover It Live volunteer for home games this season. Let me know if you are interested.

My Chatroll [...]

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