Tag Archives: Al Nolen

It’s A Wrap

Posted on 21. Mar, 2010 by zipsofakron.

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We laughed in disbelief, cried at Ed Hightower’s injustices, scratched our heads, threw pillows and even cheered wildly at times, but the roller coaster that was the 2009-10 season mercifully came to an end in a 65-54 loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to the Xavier Musketeers. The specifics of the game [...]

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Part 1: The Lost Season

Part 1: The Lost Season

Posted on 02. Feb, 2010 by JF.

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The 2009-2010 Gopher basketball season hasn’t gone the way any expected or wanted. The string of close losses, catching Portland at absolutely the wrong time, a near epic comeback at Indiana, the epic anti-comeback against Michigan State, and the most lackluster defensive performance at Ohio State have been equal parts frustrating, confusing, and infuriating, and [...]

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Game 19 Preview: Gophers vs. Michigan State

Game 19 Preview: Gophers vs. Michigan State

Posted on 22. Jan, 2010 by JF.

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Golden Gophers vs. Michigan State Spartans 11:00 am (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: CBS Tickets: Gone “As the Barn Turns,” “The Young and the Barnless,” “General Barnspital” (sorry, one too many)… whatever you want to call this season, it has seen more surprises and plot twists than the average [...]

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Wanted: New Starting PG

Wanted: New Starting PG

Posted on 21. Jan, 2010 by zipsofakron.

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As if the hits wouldn’t stop coming for Minnesota, it’s starting to look like a distinct possibility that Al Nolen could be lost for the rest of the season due to academic ineligibility.  The full story is still coming together, and it’s possible that he might find himself off the hook due to an NCAA [...]

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Blake’s Boards Bash Brown

Blake’s Boards Bash Brown

Posted on 06. Dec, 2009 by JF.

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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 Preview: Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes

Game 7 Preview: Gophers vs. Miami Hurricanes

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by JF.

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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 [...]

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Game 6 Review: Clutch slump continues

Game 6 Review: Clutch slump continues

Posted on 29. Nov, 2009 by JF.

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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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Game 4 Preview: Gophers vs. Butler

Game 4 Preview: Gophers vs. Butler

Posted on 25. Nov, 2009 by JF.

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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 [...]

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

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

Posted on 21. Nov, 2009 by JF.

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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. There [...]

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Quick Thoughts: Gophers 76 Utah Valley 51

Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by JF.

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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 [...]

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Gophers – Minnesota-Moorehead preview: And you thought a 67 point win was ugly

Gophers – Minnesota-Moorehead preview: And you thought a 67 point win was ugly

Posted on 08. Nov, 2009 by JF.

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Golden Gophers vs. Minnesota State University-Moorhead Dragons 7:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) TV: Bigtennetwork.com (Streaming for $2.99) Tickets: Best available- Row 11, upper deck, center court The Gophers’ 67 point win over Minnesota-Duluth wasn’t ugly, or at least it won’t be when compared to what we will see tomorrow night when Minnesota [...]

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Gophers trying to continue success while the Longhorns hope to salvage their season

Posted on 18. Mar, 2009 by JF.

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#10 Golden Gophers vs. #7 Texas Longhorns 6:10 pm (CDT) at Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, North Carolina) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: CBS Liveblog: Starting half an hour before the game At approximately 6:1o central time on Thursday, March 19, Minnesota’s 2008-2009 basketball season will officially become a success. This was supposed to a rebuilding year, [...]

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Barn Blurbs 3/10/09

Posted on 10. Mar, 2009 by JF.

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Gopher hoops: Tense bubble watch Michael Thompson gets added to NU’s “Big Two” but we all know Moore and Coble are the real threat. Breaking down the Big Ten Tournament bracket Northwestern in a blow out? Minnesota Gophers men not out of hunt for an NCAA tournament berth Florida, Miami, and Maryland are on your [...]

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Barn Blurbs 2/17/09

Posted on 17. Feb, 2009 by JF.

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Royce White named a Jordan Brand All-American I hope this doesn’t mean he will need to carve a swoosh into his faux-hawk. Post-Minnesota tidbits A detailed break down of bad officiating and worse turnovers, if you are into that sort of thing. Gopher backcourt searching for backbone The city pages does a little numbering crunching, [...]

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Bubbles to be busted at Bryce Jordan

Posted on 13. Feb, 2009 by JF.

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Golden Gophers vs.  Penn State Nittany Lions 12:30 pm (CST) at Bryce Jordan Center Radio: WCCO 830 AM Tv: Big Ten Network Chatroom: Yup And now things get serious. After struggling to lose at home against Indiana on Tuesday night (that had to be the Gophers’ goal, right?) the Gophers travel to Penn State for [...]

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Not losing is still winning

Posted on 12. Feb, 2009 by JF.

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I hope you can forgive me taking to long to write about Minnesota’s “win” over Indiana on Tuesday night. After watching the Gophers show little intensity or intuition on the offensive end against the worst defensive team in the Big Ten, my motivation was lacking, though  apparently not as much as the Gophers’ motivation to [...]

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Struggling Hoosiers bring chance to experiment

Posted on 09. Feb, 2009 by JF.

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Golden Gophers vs. Indiana Hoosiers 8:00 (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: BTN Tickets: Still a few obstructed seats left Chatroom: I won’t be here, but if you are, stop by and discuss the game As cruel as the Big Ten schedulers have been this season, giving the Gophers back [...]

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Buckeyes beat Gophers, but this is a loss to build on

Posted on 08. Feb, 2009 by JF.

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Winning wasn’t the biggest concern when the Gophers played at Ohio State on Saturday night. A win would have been nice, but the real concern was how the Gophers would respond to one of their worst losses in recent  years. Though the outcome was not what was desired, the Gophers played  a competitive game that [...]

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Gophers face Spartans for a share of first place

Posted on 03. Feb, 2009 by JF.

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#19 Golden Gophers vs. #13 Michigan State Spartans 7:30 pm (CST) at The Breslin Center (East Lansing, Michigan) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Liveblog: Starting half an hour before the game. How about that for a pleasantly unexpected headline? After Purdue’s loss at Ohio State and Michigan State’s latest slips against formerly [...]

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#24 Minnesota vs. #20 Illinois: Gophers hope to end “Krushing” streak like its 1999.

Posted on 28. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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#24  Golden Gophers vs. #20 Illinois Fighting Illini 8:00 (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: BTN Tickets: Still a few obstructed seats left Chatroom: I won’t be here, but if you are, stop by and discuss the game Minnesota is 0 for the 00′s against Illinois, and has not won [...]

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Barn Blurbs for 1/28/09

Posted on 28. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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We’ll have our preview for the Illinois game up tonight. Until then… Nolen Starting a Turnaround? Scout.com looks at Al Nolen’s struggles, and if he finally got his game sorted out against Indiana. Add Alabama to Tubby Smith Rumors But why? Gophers are a cooperative effort Should be subtitled “Team work through video game” or [...]

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Gophers go inside, get out with a win

Posted on 26. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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Led by Damian Johnson and a nearly-dominating performance by Ralph Sampson III, the Gophers held off a feisty Indiana squad playing its best game of the year to win 67-63. The Gophers didn’t blow out Indiana, but Minnesota’s willingness establish an offensive identity and simultaneously develop an inside presence should be heartening. They are still [...]

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#20 Minnesota vs. Indiana: The right team at the right time

Posted on 24. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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#20 Golden Gophers vs. Indiana Hoosiers 11:00 am (CST) at Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Indiana) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Liveblog: Starting half an hour before the game. And so begins the rest of the season. With expectations more in line with reality, and still a very realistic chance to make the NCAA [...]

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Cold shooting night brings cold dose of reality

Posted on 23. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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By now you have probably familiarized yourself with all the gory details of Minnesota’s not as close as the score 70-62 loss to Purdue. It was another loss, and nothing we haven’t seen before. The Gopher’s can’t win a half court game against a quality team playing a quality game. So instead of dwelling on [...]

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#20 Minnesota vs. #18 Purdue: Gophers trying to repeat Boilermakers’ success

Posted on 21. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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#20  Golden Gophers vs. #18 Purdue Boilermakers 6:00 (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: ESPN 2 Tickets: Still a few obstructed seats left Chatroom: I won’t be here, but if you are, stop by and discuss the game A young Big Ten team beats the highly ranked Louisville Cardinals on [...]

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Trapped: Northwestern 74 Minnesotaa 65

Posted on 19. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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After a red hot first half, the Gophers lost their focus, intensity, composure and eventually the game to the  still improving Northwestern Wildcats. Coming at the midway point between their biggest road win in years and their biggest remaining home game of the season, it was a classic trap game scenario, particularly with Northwestern’s unorthodox [...]

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Gophers going for first win in Madison in more than a decade

Posted on 14. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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#17 Golden Gophers vs.Wisconsin Badgers 8:00 pm (CST) at Kohl Center (Madison, Wisconsin) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Liveblog: I’ll be here about half an hour before the game. You should be too. That headline should tell you all you need to know about tomorrow night’s game. The Gophers don’t win in [...]

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#19 Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Penn State: Another small opponent, and more big problems?

Posted on 10. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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#19  Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions 2:30 (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Tickets: Still a few obstructed seats left Chatroom: I won’t be here, but if you are, stop by and discuss the game It is not a coincidence that the Gophers seem to [...]

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Is the Iowa rivalry dying?

Posted on 07. Jan, 2009 by JF.

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#19  Golden Gophers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes 6:00 pm (CST) at Carver Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa) Radio: WCCO 830 AM Tv: ESPN2 Liveblog: Yes. I’ll be typing away, just like the CSU game. There was a time not too long ago in fact, when a basketball game between Minnesota and Iowa meant something. It was [...]

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Spartans dominate, and the Gophers have a long way to go

Posted on 31. Dec, 2008 by JF.

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And now we know how bad the Gophers can be. Throughout the non-conference season the Gophers were able to get by with flashes of brilliance, an occasional solid game, and plenty of mediocrity. Today, when they needed much more than a flash of brilliance, they could barely muster a spark. This one was ugly. Even [...]

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