Tag Archives: Game Preview
Xavier Preview Part 4: Putting it all together
Posted on 18. Mar, 2010 by JF.
If you haven’t had enough previewing of tomorrow’s first round NCAA tournament game, why not a look at the keys to the game and a prediction? Keys for the Gophers 1. Establish an inside presence. Ralph Sampson will need to be strong with the ball, and Colton Iverson will need to be strong with his [...]
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Xavier Preview Part 3: The Players
Posted on 18. Mar, 2010 by JF.
As you probably noticed in the previous post breaking down Xavier’s conference season, the team goes as its big 2 (or 3) go. Jordan Crawford and Jason Love are the core of the team, but they are not the entire team. Three players average in double figures and three more average more than 4.5 rebounds [...]
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Xavier Preview Part 2: Atlantic 10 at a glance
Posted on 17. Mar, 2010 by JF.
Needless to say, Xavier got things straightened out once the Atlantic 10 season started. They lost only three games, two in the regular season and in the final of the conference tournament. Here is how it happened: Score Leading Scorer Leading Rebounder Key Statistic XU 68 – LaSalle 62 Jordan Crawford – 22 Jason Love [...]
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Xavier Preview Part 1: The Non-conference Schedule
Posted on 16. Mar, 2010 by JF.
As was the case last year, we’ll go right up to game time slicing and dicing Minnesota’s NCAA tournament first round match-up. Today, we look back at Xavier’s non-conference schedule, over the next few days we’ll also look at their players and strengths and weakness, culminating Thursday with the final preview and a few predictions. [...]
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Simple changes, simply stunning results
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by JF.
Three weeks ago I was cursing Michigan for ruining the Gophers’ season. Now I should be thanking them, profusely. Minnesota’s embarrassing home loss to the Wolverines may be the final nails in the NCAA tournament coffin, but it also awoke a struggling Gopher team that was threatening to sleep walk its way through the rest [...]
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As long as they beat the Badgers
Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by JF.
In the darker days of Gopher basketball, and for the last 40 years or so in Gopher football, there was always a saving grace to even the most atrocious season. Beating the Badgers has a way of making up for countless losses and blown opportunities, and can make even the darkest off season tolerable. This [...]
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Gophers vs. Northwestern: Playing for pride, if the Gophers have any left
Posted on 13. Feb, 2010 by JF.
A week ago this looked like it could be quite a game. The Gopher would have been looking for a big road win to build momentum for an end of the season run that would include 3 wins over probably NCAA tournament teams, two easy home wins, and a winnable game at Northwestern. That first [...]
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Gophers vs. Michigan Preview with an assist from UMHoops.com
Posted on 10. Feb, 2010 by JF.
Dylan from UMHoops.com generously agreed to answer a few questions about tomorrow night’s must win match-up between two of the more disappointing teams in the country. I also answered some questions of his. Fair warning, go elsewhere for boundless optimism. FTB: I hate to start with the obvious question, but what the heck happened? Where [...]
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Gophers at Penn State: Much needed changes for a Must Win Game
Posted on 05. Feb, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions 1:00 pm (CST) at Bryce Jordan Center (University Park, PA) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network For the better part of a month, I’ve been claiming each upcoming game was not a must win. Those games were important, and every conference game ultimately will have some [...]
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Game 21 Preview: Gophers at Ohio State
Posted on 30. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 12:00 pm (CST) at Value City Arena (Columbus, OH) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: CBS Any conversation about the 2009-2010 Ohio State basketball team begins and ends with Evan Turner. Therefore, logically, any conversation about an opponent of the Buckeyes should at least begin with defending the national [...]
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Game 20 Preview: Gophers vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Northwestern Wildcats 8:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Tickets: Row 11, baseline, upper deck For Tuesday’s preview, John Templon of Chicago College Basketball answers a few questions about the almost must-win game against Northwestern. FTB: Who is the real NU? The team [...]
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Game 19 Preview: Gophers vs. Michigan State
Posted on 22. Jan, 2010 by JF.
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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Game 18 Preview: Gophers at Indiana
Posted on 16. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Indiana Hoosiers 3:30 pm (CST) at Assembly Hall (Bloomington, IN) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Welcome to the wacky world of Big Ten basketball, where with injuries, suspensions, and unbalanced schedules everything appears and is possible. At the beginning of the day, Illinois was tied for Michigan State [...]
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Game 17 Preview: Gophers at Michigan State
Posted on 12. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Michigan State Spartans 5:30 pm (CST) at Breslin Center (East Lansing, Michigan) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Could this be the year that Spartan speed doesn’t kill the Gophers? Michigan State’s speed during the Tubby Smith Era has been the deciding factor in Minnesota’s five straight losses against the [...]
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Game 16 Preview: Gophers vs. Ohio State
Posted on 09. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 2:30 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Tickets: Best available- Row 11, upper deck, baseline (obstructed) Evan Turner has had this game circled for a while. As early as December 19th, 2009, only two weeks after an ugly and scary [...]
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Game 15 Preview: Gophers vs. #4 Purdue Boilermakers
Posted on 04. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Purdue Boilermakers 6:00 pm (CST) at Mackey Arena (West Lafayette Indiana) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: ESPN College basketball is the most forgiving of all sports. There is not a set number of teams in each conference that advance to the NCAA tournament. One bad game won’t spoil a season. The season [...]
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Game 14 Preview: Gophers vs. Iowa
Posted on 02. Jan, 2010 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes 3:00 pm (CST) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network One year removed from questioning whether the Minnesota-Iowa rivalry, once one of the most intense in all of college basketball, was dead, I’ve decided to find out first hand. In a first but [...]
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Big Ten/Game 13 Preview: Gophers vs. Penn State
Posted on 28. Dec, 2009 by JF.
This regularly scheduled preview has been replaced by a conversation with Eric from Battle Does It Again, has answered a few pressing questions about The Fighting Talor Battles and tomorrow night’s game. Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions 8:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: ESPN 2 Tickets: [...]
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Game 12 Preview: Gophers vs. South Dakota State
Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits 6:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network Tickets: Best available- Row 11 upper deck, corner This is South Dakota State’s Big Dance, their Superbowl, their national championship game. Every year the Minnesota game is circled on the calendar, and [...]
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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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 [...]
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Game 3 Preview: Gophers vs. Utah Valley Wolverines
Posted on 18. Nov, 2009 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Utah Valley Wolverines 7:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Big Ten Network (actual live TV!) Tickets: Best available- Row 11 upper deck, center court Naming a college basketball conference is an exercise in redundancy. There are really only three ingredients in a conference name; a [...]
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Game 2 Preview: Gophers vs. Stephen F. Austin
Posted on 15. Nov, 2009 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 7:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: BigTenNetwork.com Tickets: Best available- Row 10 upper deck, baseline Minnesota may face its toughest home non-conference test of the season on Monday night against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. That it is coming against last [...]
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Game 1 Preview: Gophers vs. Tennessee Tech
Posted on 12. Nov, 2009 by JF.
Golden Gophers vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 7:00 pm (CST) at Williams Arena (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Radio: WCCO 830 AM TV: Bigtennetwork.com (Streaming for $2.99) Tickets: Best available- Row 6 upper deck, baseline Another week, another distraction, and another game just in time. If you are looking for the latest on allegations, possible poor decisions, and [...]
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Gophers trying to continue success while the Longhorns hope to salvage their season
Posted on 18. Mar, 2009 by JF.
#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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Texas as a team
Posted on 17. Mar, 2009 by JF.
The NCAA Tournament selection committee, whether it was their intention or not, has created quite the compelling match-up with the #10 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers taking on the #7 seed Texas Longhorns. The two teams began the season with vastly different expectations, but ended their seasons in a strikingly similar fashion. By Gopher standards, sneaking [...]
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Who are the Horns?
Posted on 16. Mar, 2009 by JF.
You can’t know the players without a program, and the odds of getting a program delivered to you on your couch are pretty slim. For the rest of us, I’ve assembled a quick guide to the Texas Longhorn roster. If you see egregious errors (this means you Texans), please enlighten us. Note: players are listed [...]
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#8 Minnesota vs #1 Michigan State: A preview as small as the Gophers chances
Posted on 13. Mar, 2009 by JF.
#8 Golden Gophers vs. #1 Michigan State Spartans 11:00 am (CDT) at Conseco Field House (Indianapolis, Indiana) Radio: WCCO 830 AM Streaming: http://www.channelsurfing.net/ TV: ESPN Liveblog: Yes. If you are stuck at work you’ll want to be here. Thank goodness this is a relatively weak year on the Bubble. If the Gophers needed to win [...]


