Thanks to a manageable non-conference slate, the Gopher’s opened last season with an impressive 11-2 start. While it didn’t hold up in conference play, things didn’t completely fall apart either. The 8-10 mark got them to 19-12 and on the bubble for the NCAA tournament thanks to the league being so strong. After a win to open the league tourney, Minnesota missed an opportunity to impress and got blown out by 26 to Wisconsin. Once in the NIT they went on a little run…as in winning the whole damn thing. Like most teams that do well in the NIT, Gopher nation is excited about 2014-5. With some of the pieces they have back, this optimism is not misplaced.
Any improvement in this campaign will be made without Austin Hollins. The 6’4″ guard did it all. He averaged 5 rebounds a night, dished 2.4 assists, had two steals a night and did not turn it over at all (1.6 per). He even chipped in 12.4 points per game. In short, he was the second leading scorer and rebounder, tied in leading assists and led the team in steals all while gobbling up 33+ minutes a night. He was the heart and soul of this team. Any non Gopher fan is relieved to see his career come to an end. He killed everybody.
Another graduated piece was Malik Smith. The FIU transfer was a reliable reserve guard but also brought a lot of experience with him. His 7.3 points per game and 1.6 rpg / 1.1 apg aren’t eye popping but he would rack those numbers up in under 20 minutes a night. Maverick Ahanmisi is another player to receive his diploma after last year. He played his best ball in 2011-2 but as the roster got more talented around him, his playing time dipped. Seldom used guard Wally Ellenson has transferred closer to home and will continue his career at Marquette. Walk-on Jasen Baranowki does not appear on this year’s roster. Lastly, a really nice developing player in Oto Osenieks has retired his playing career due to a knee injury. Oto played 18 minutes a game last year as a reserve forward and was really coming along with an improved scoring touch and helped on the glass. He says he wants to learn about coaching the game with his remaining eligibility. By learning the ropes from a Pitino, you know he is in good hands. Best of luck for your career in coaching, Oto.
Despite losing Austin Hollins the backcourt is still one of the strongest in the league. Leading scorer Andre Hollins is picking up right where he left off last season. He is maintaining last year’s 13.6 average through nine games but has added to his rebounding and assist totals. Joining him is speedster 5’9″ DeAndre Mathieu. He scored 12 points per last season, tossed 4.2 apg, 1.6 steals per and even chipped on the glass despite his size. Through nine games this year is scoring is down a touch (9.4) but his steals are up and his assist are up to 6 a night.
The returning men working their craft in the paint are also quite skilled. 6’10” Center Maurice Walker was an 8/4.5 man last year in just 18 and a half minutes. In addition to growing his game, he has been shrinking his waste. It was reported that he lost 50 pounds over the course of last season. Joey King also had some flashes last year en route to 7.1 ppg and almost 3 boards a night in a scant 22 minutes a night. His 6’9″ size gives Minnesota a massive front court when he is out there with one of the two centers on the roster. That other useful big in Elliott Eliason. He was the starting center last year before injury. The 6’11” man among boys is a force on the glass. He averaged 6.6 per game in under 22 minutes. He contributed 5 points a night last year as well.
Experienced reserves can be found in guard Daquein McNeil who found the court for 10 minutes a night as a freshman. The trial by fire has paid off as he is now an important part of the rotation averaging almost 19 minutes a game this year. Charles Buggs got his licks like McNeil a year ago but the sophomore forward is contributing more this season. A final piece to round out the returning bench is guard is Kendal Shell who four year scout team member.
Minnesota is finding immediate help in the guard court by a pair of new faces. Nate Mason is a 3-star recruit (77 grade) is off to a sterling start with 9.9 points per, 4.1 boards and 3.8 assists. Carlos Morris comes to Minneapolis by way of junior college. He is already giving his new club 12 points a night along with 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 dimes. At 6’5″ he can play a combo guard and help out with the rebounds lost by Austin Hollins’ graduation.
The new forwards are a mystery compared to the guards Pitino acquired in the off-season. 6’8″ Josh Martin was a 3-star kid and a top 40 at his PF position. He was a McDonalds All American nominee and turned down offers from FSU, Oklahoma State and Pitt to join the Gophers. 6’11” project Bakary Konate is already 21 and started 4 years at a school on the Canary Islands. Another long term project is 6’9″ Gaston Diedhiou from Senegal by birth and Spain by basketball experience. Gaston was denied entry based on an English-proficiency test in the summer and will have to wait until next semester to be able to contribute anything. An interesting walk-on guard rounds out the new faces. Darin Haugh is an AAU teammate of Joey King. The juniors will get to finish off their college experience together. A nice article about their amazing friendship is here: http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_26910349/gophers-basketball-longtime-friends-joey-king-and-darin. The short version is, AAU players often live in different places during the season than their families. For the Kings this was hard since they had a son battling cancer. The Haugh’s really opened their homes to a stranger and the two have been more than teammates since.
Best Case
With the skill of that backcourt getting even stronger with the new folks in Mason/Morris, Minnesota has no worries there. Their front is big but not as skilled as some. If they can get improvement from Walker, Eliason or King to really round out the starting five, they will be a tough out every night. Even Buggs could be the answer down low – who knows. They should finish the non-conference at 11-2 again but they face a tough league slate. At Maryland, Ohio State and at Michigan are all in the front end. The back end has 4 of 7 on the road and both of their Wisconsin battles are in their final four games of the season. For them to improve on their 8-10 mark they have to take advantage of the center of the league slate – six home games to four road games and none of the teams are currently ranked. They need to dominate this ten game stretch to have any hope of a .500 or better finish. If they do accomplish 10-8 or better, the Big Ten reputation should get them into the NCAAs.
Worst Case
The freshman play like freshman, the front court remains mediocre and this team finishes 9-9 or worse, missing out on the NCAAs due to zero non-conference resume building wins.
Prediction
I like this Gopher team on paper, but they have some major issues for trying to make the NCAAs. First, their non-conference schedule was weak outside the Louisville game – which they lost. Other than UL they played just two other power-league teams (St. Johns and Georgia) and went just 1-1 against them. Then it is that league schedule – woof. They might start in a 1-3 hole, forcing them to take advantage of that 10 game stretch since their final four games are at Wisconsin, at MSU, Wisconsin, Penn State. If they go 1-3 in that stretch too, they are 2-6 placing a ton of stress on the manageable 10 game middle. It will be very difficult to go undefeated in that stretch, even for a team as talented as Minnesota. As much as I like where this program is headed, I don’t think they can do better than 9-9 in league. That means they need to make the finals in Indy, if not win them to make the NCAAs. Good team, nasty league schedule and no non-conference boost. Unfortunately another NIT.
Big Ten and Counting 