Hey, At Least We're Not IU Fans

Being a University of Minnesota men's basketball fan has been a trying experience over the past decade. Scandals. Sanctions. Overwhelmed coach. Thankfully, Tubby Smith has brought some calm back to the Land O' 10k Lakes.

Times are slightly more turbulent in Bloomington, Indiana. After Kelvin Sampson was dispatched, the Hoosiers all but quit on Dan Dakich. The Blake Hoffarber Miracle was demoralizing. Sanctions could be coming. DJ White's eligibility has expired. Eric Gordon is expected to be a one-and-done type. Then, yesterday, Dakich dismissed Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis. Other than the Oliver Miller look-a-like, I'm not sure who that leaves on IU's roster.

Coming out of all of that turmoil is reporting from ESPN today that Marquette's Tom Crean will be announced soon as the next Hoosiers coach. My question is this: What in God's name is Tom Crean thinking? Crean has rebuilt Marquette into a regional power of sorts. He's taken the Golden Eagles to the new heights thanks to Dwayne Wade. In doing this, Crean has built a reputation as an excellent coach, a solid recruiter, and an all around decent guy.

Crean has Big Ten ties, having worked under Tom Izzo's thumb at Michigan State. Under normal circumstances, the move to IU would be an easy one. But why would Crean leave arguably college basketball's best conference, leave a clean program for a storied program that is peering around the corner at NCAA sanctions? And IU's current roster--assuming Gordon leaves and Bassett and Ellis are in fact gone--leaves much to be desired. And that's being nice about it. To me, this is akin to Tubby Smith--and many others--leaving great gigs for some mythical historical significance. At IU, Crean will face unrealistic expectations even as he rebuilds from Kelvin Sampson's disaster.

If you were Crean, would you leave?

UPDATE: The 4-letter is now reporting that Crean has signed a letter of intent. I trust the 4-letter as much as I trust Shooter Walters, but it at least looks like this is a done deal. It will be itnerseting to see how long the contract is for. Is it a long deal--like 8 years? If so, Crean is smart. If it's a 4ish year deal, Crean made a big mistake. It'll take him that long to get out from under the sanctions.

Keys For Gophers Against Indiana

When the Gophers tip off at 9pm eastern time tonight (or thereabouts), the Indiana Hoosiers will be looking to beat the Gophers for the third time this season. A common cliche tells us that is no easy task, but given the talent differential, the Hoosiers would have a decided advantage no matter how many times in a row they had beaten Minnesota.

Eric Gordon is the best player in the Big Ten. While the Gophers have actually done better than most in slowing him on offense, he found numerous ways to beat the Gophers in the teams meeting most recently at Assembly Hall. While Gordon's shot wasn't falling, he'd penetrate and get himself to the foul line. Or, he'd penetrate and quickly adjust to the collapsing defense and kick to a wide open three point shooter.

Key #1 for the Gophers tonight is to keep Gordon in front of them. This is no easy task. He's shifty, deceptively quick and the Gophers don't have the type of shut-down defender needed to stop all parts of Gordon's game. Lawrence Westbrook drew the defensive match up in the last meeting most of the time and he did well to force Gordon to use the dribble. That's all well and good, but the Gophers either need to rotate much more efficiently when Gordon penetrates and kicks or Westbrook needs to both force Gordon to dribble and keep him in front. Limiting Gordon might be the biggest key tonight. We won't be able to stop him completely, but if we can limit his outside shooting and rebounding some, the Gophers have a chance.

Key #2 for the Gophers is finding a way to keep up with DJ White and company on the glass. With Spencer Tollackson iffy at best, the Gophers will have to rely on two forwards not known for banging in Dan Coleman and Damian Johnson. Jon Williams will be the biggest body we can throw out there, but he is prone to so many mistakes in other aspects of the game. That means all five players need to crash the boards defensively the way Westbrook, Blake Hoffarber, Al Nolen and others did in the second half against Northwestern. In Indiana, the Hoosiers killed the Gophers on second chance points. If that happens again, the Gophers have no chance.

Key #3 for the Gophers is offensive consistency. Playing 10 to 20 minutes of miserable basketball might not kill you against a team like Northwestern. It will against Indiana. And this is most important on the offensive end. The Gophers need to create offense early, be aggressive, draw contact and get to the line. Dan Coleman, Lawrence Westbrook and Lawrence McKenzie need to get going quickly. If those three are all in double digits, the Gophers have a decent shot at making the upset. The Gophers also need to have in inside presence. That means giving the ball to Coleman or Johnson in the post. We can't be completely perimeter oriented against the Hoosiers.

Key #4 for the Gophers is coaching. Tubby Smith has so much more experience than Dan Dakich that he really ought to be able to coach circles around the interim Indiana head man. Maybe we'll see this play out with the Gophers switching up defenses regularly, doubling Gordon or White when necessary and simply managing the game. Pay close attention to the first five minutes of each half and the last five minutes of the first half. Who is controlling the tempo here? Who wastes momentum building possessions and which coach best manages the game? It better be Tubby!

Finally, key #5 is passion. The first half against Northwestern was beyond distressing. It was one thing, inexcusable though it was, for Dan Coleman to get beat on multiple back doors. It was quite another for the entire team to be flat for 20 minutes. This is the Big Ten Tournament fellas, it's time to lay it all out there. On Every Possession. Indiana is sort of down on its luck, and could be prone for an upset. It won't happen if the Gophers don't play every possession as if it were there last.

Prediction: I've twice picked the Gophers to upset Indiana this season and twice I've been so wrong. Hopefully I'll be wrong again here because I'm picking the Hoosiers. The Gophers have still not but together 40 full minutes of strong play and have yet to do what it takes to upset anyone. It's hard to predict that will start tonight. Pick: Indiana 65, Minnesota 58.

Gophers Disappear Down The Stretch Against Indiana

The script seemed oddly familiar to those that have played out for the Gophers all season. They played stretches of great basketball, and stretches of mistake-filled basketball. And the Gophers had a chance during the last 5-10 minutes to earn a statement victory, but fell short. Unlike some other close losses, at Indiana Wednesday night the Gophers vanished for the stretch run of the game.

Barring an amazing run in the Big Ten tournament, the loss to Indiana effectively ends any longshot dreams of earning an NCAA Tournament bid.

In Assembly Hall, the Gophers were a two-man show offensively. Lawrence McKenzie continued his hot-shooting ways, scoring 22 points on 6-11 shooting. Dan Coleman, who might have played his best all around game of the season shot with confidence from the outside in scoring 14 points. But Coleman impressed most with his hustle, grabbing eight rebounds and proving to be a factor in the shot blocking department.

But aside from those two seniors, the Gophers had nothing to offer. Blake Hoffarber was ineffective in 12 minutes and went scoreless. Spencer Tollackson was also ineffective in just 11 minutes (there was no foul trouble) and went scoreless. Damian Johnson and Jon Williams were OK off the bench, but Coleman and McKenzie alone couldn't carry the Gophers.

For the Hoosiers, Eric Gordon was mighty impressive. His shot wasn't falling, but he continued to find a way to get himself to the foul line and he did well to penetrate Minnesota's zone and kick to open shooters once the defense collapsed. Gordon scored 20 points, including 12-14 from the line. Impressive.

Gordon's ability to create is the exact piece the Gophers' offense lacks. McKenzie is a streaky shooter who can get red hot. But if McKenzie's shot isn't falling, he can't create for others the way Gordon does.

The Hoosiers won 69-55, but for three-quarters of the game the Gophers were trading blows with the Indiana. But the Gophers lacked the consistency to keep up. Same story, different game.

Other observations:

JAS: The junior walk on turned scholarship player started and played 10 completely awful minutes. He didn't score. He grabbed one rebound. He turned the ball over twice. JAS is a defensive liability and against teams with even a semblance of perimeter athleticism he is completely ineffective on offense. Can anyone make an argument for why he's playing (and starting!!).

Free Throws: Three Gophers ventured to the free throw line Wednesday night. McKenzie was 6-11, Lawrence Westbrook was 4-4 and Jon Williams was 0-2 with an air ball mixed in. I point this out only because it still amazes me at how little our big men get to the foul line. Coleman had a nice game, but he's never been able to be a physical, foul-drawing force on the interior.

Up and Under: I absolutely loved to see Jon Williams execute an old school up and under early in the first half. DJ White (I think it was) joined the IU faithful in calling for travelling. It wasn't. It was Kevin McHale-esque. Beautiful.

Up Next: The Gophers wrap up the regular season with a trip to face the Illini this weekend. A win would bring the Gophers back to .500 for the conference season, and that would be one hell of an improvement over last season. A win would also give the Gophers a chance to claim that 5th seed in the conference tournament.

Gophers Have Second Chance To Topple Hoosiers

It's never a good time to face DJ White and Eric Gordon in Assembly Hall. The combo has demonstrated they can lead Indiana to a run deep into March. But, when the Gophers visit the Hoosiers Wednesday night, the matchup might actually be coming at the right time.

The Gophers should be riding high after putting together 20 really strong minutes in the second half against Ohio State. Lawrence McKenzie, albeit it late in the season, has finally started to play on the offensive end with a dogged determination. Meanwhile, the Indiana Hoosiers are coming off an embarrassing destruction at the hands of Michigan State. A loss like that for the Hoosiers was to be expected, given that the team has been through on hell of a gauntlet having lost their head man during the stretch run of what could have been, and still could be, a special season.

While Indiana's loss to Michigan State was shocking, what could be worse for the Hoosiers is a subsequent letdown. A regular season Big Ten title will likely wind up in Purdue or Wisconsin, a fact that must leave the Hoosiers wondering what they are playing for (never mind who they are playing for).

So, I'm saying there's a chance ... for the Gophers to win.

When Indiana came to Williams Arena earlier this season, the Gophers did everything they had to do to beat the Hoosiers. They shut down Eric Gordon. They caused turnovers and scored in transition. The only ingredient that was missing was free throw shooting, where the Gophers, namely Spencer Tollackson, shot horrifically from the stripe. Had the free throw line actually been charitable, the Gophers would have beaten the Hoosiers and that would have given them a legitmate leg to stand on as Selection Sunday approaches.

To win at Indiana, the Gophers need to do many of the same thigns that were effective during the first meeting. Frustrating Gordon is essential, and the best way to do that is have a longer, taller defender effect his outside jump shot--a good task for Damian Johnson. Additionally, the Gophers need to hold down the glass the way they did against Othello Hunter, Kosta Koufos and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The task is tougher agaisnt an Indiana team that has the best big man in the country.

Most importantly, in my opinion, the Gophers need to play consistent basketball. They need to move the ball consistently on offense and get good shots. When the Gophers have had ugly stretches this year, that has been caused in part by a lack of offensive continuity. Early on, the Gophers need to get Dan Coleman and easy look or two. Same goes for Lawrence McKenzie. If the Gophers can get both of those seniors going, that will open up lanes for Lawrence Westbrook and pull perimeter defenders off of Blake Hoffarber.

It will be an up hill battle, and while the Hoosiers could be down on themselves, I expect a raucous IU crowd to do their best to lift their team. But I think the Gophers pull a shocker and send the Dan Dakich led Hoosiers tumbling heading into tourney time. Pick: Minnesota 71, IU 69.

Chatting With The Enemy

PJS Note: I teamed with John at The Hoosier Report in a get-to-know-the-enemy question and answer session. John tells us about the expectations of IU fans, the perception of Kelvin Sampson and he even thinks the Gophers will win tonight! I'm posting the first half of the Q & A here. The second half with predictions will be posted at The Hoosier Report.

Paging Jim Shikenjanski: On one Minnesota message board, some fans are calling the Indiana-Minnesota game Thursday night a "phone out." They plan to bring cell phones and wave them (and perhaps play interesting ring tones) at Kelvin Sampson, who we all know likes to bend NCAA rules on phone calls. At least when Bobby Knight embarrassed IU it was entertaining. What do you make of this tomfoolery?

The Hoosier Report: I'm disappointed, obviously. IU fans are as proud as the program's scandal-free history as we are of the five NCAA championship banners. When Sampson was hired, most of us were willing to forgive the transgressions that occurred at Oklahoma as long as nothing of the sort happened at IU. Now, obviously it has happened at IU. What's sad is that I really do think Sampson was making a good faith effort to avoid violating the sanctions. During the entire no-call period that stretched from May 2006 to May 2007, Sampson didn't make a single outgoing call on his IU-issued cell phone. I'm not just talking about calls to recruits. He was so paranoid that he didn't make a single outgoing call on the phone, period. In light of that, it's unthinkable to me that Sampson would have staked his career on ten three-way calls. Still, what happened happened, and the fact that assistants were making unlogged calls from their home phones shows a shocking lack of leadership and oversight on Sampson's part and on the part of the athletic department. I don't know how things are going to turn out, and the whole affair casts a shadow over what should be IU's best season in 15 years. At this point, I don't think Sampson should be dismissed, but if the NCAA investigation finds more, I certainly could get to that position.

On the other hand, I am somewhat amused about the indignation from fans of Big Ten programs whose coaches have done far worse in the not-so-distant past. Indeed, Minnesota's students need only look up at that 1997 Final Four banner to be reminded...oh, wait, it's not there anymore.

The late 1990s scandal does have some relation to my first question. Dan Monson, in eight seasons in Minneapolis, never quite got the Gophers back on track. How much of that do you relate to the NCAA sanctions and how much to Monson? Also, the knock on Tubby during his later years at Kentucky was recruiting. How is that going, and generally, what do you think is the program's ceiling under Smith's leadership?

Paging Jim Shikenjanski: Yes, yes, our fan base deserves to be reminded of the season that wasn't when we gleefully revel in the unfortunate circumstances at other institutions. But after a decade of futility, in part because of those sanctions, I think we can be forgiven for being proud that once again we have a program poised to compete by playing by the rules.And that's why Dan Monson was hired in the first place. He came to Minnesota from Gonzaga, where he, not Mark Few, had done the hard work necessary to make a previously unknown program into a national contender.

In hindsight, Monson probably shouldn't have taken the job. He had to overcome hurdles presented by considerable sanctions and repair the reputation of a recently-on-top program. While he was able to clean up the program, he could never deliver in a couple areas. Alumni and media types questioned his ability to develop players. And Monson never seemed to have control of his team. Good players transferred. Others left the Gophers for the NBA far too early--think Rick Rickert and Joel Pryzbilla who is just now performing at the highest level.

Monson was dealt a bad hand at the university, but he didn't do much of anything to gain traction aside from clean up the program. Now that Tubby Smith is on board, the atmosphere surrounding the program has done a 180 degree turn. Despite his reputation as a lacadasical recruiter at UK, Tubby has brought in a top-10 to top-20 class nationally, led by 6'10" standout Ralph Sampson III, the son of the former Virginia great, who was recruited by Billy Gillispie, among others. In mere months, Tubby has turned Williams Arena into Minneapolis' hottest ticket, delivered a top notch recruiting class and is off to a fine start on the court as well.

The program's ceiling under Tubby? He can transform the program into a perennial Big Ten contender.

And what about at IU? Any buyer's remorse on Sampson, aside from phone call gate? And speaking of recruiting, does Illinois coach Bruce Weber have reason to be so upset over the recruitment of Eric Gordon? Finally, I'll pose the same question to you: What's the ceiling for a Sampson-led IU program?

The Hoosier Report From the public's perspective, Sampson came out of nowhere. None of the talking heads mentioned him until he already had been hired. I think there were a couple of reasons that he wasn't on the radar screen: 1) the NCAA stuff and 2) he lost a Final Four game to Mike Davis. Still, I have been pleasantly surprised and I think that the vast majority of IU fans have embraced the on-court version of Sampson. His stern, defensive minded approach, his even keel, and the like have been a breath of fresh air.

As for the ceiling, the expectations at IU are high. IU fans expect the program to compete for the Big Ten title more often than not and to make a run at the NCAA championship at least occasionally. Can Sampson get there? Well, in 12 years at Oklahoma, a B-list program, he won over 70 percent of his games, won a couple of conference titles, and went to the Final Four. I think it's reasonable to think that Sampson, at a school where basketball is king and with more recruiting advantages, can make IU a top 10 caliber program. That's if the NCAA stuff doesn't get in the way.

One of the reasons that I do think Sampson can win big at IU is that he has recruiting advantages that he hasn't had before, which leads to the Eric Gordon discussion. Another unfortunate aspect about Sampson's NCAA trouble is that it prevents an honest discussion about the Gordon issue. Because Sampson has NCAA trouble on his resume, the Gordon recruitment is lumped in with other "dishonesty" and "shenanigans." That's unfortunate, because I think all of this "coaching fraternity" stuff is bunk.

The whole idea of it really boggles the mind. Kelvin Sampson is paid over a million dollars a year to coach IU's basketball program. Eric Gordon is Indiana born and raised and would have strongly considered IU but for the coaching situation. He committed to Illinois long before most kids his age were gathering college applications, let alone making final decisions. If this whole "coaching fraternity" canard is to be believed, then Kelvin Sampson owes a higher duty to Bruce Weber, his highly paid counterpart at a competitor school, than he owes to the institution that pays him handsomely or to a 17 year old kid who has changed his mind about where to go to college.

I think it might have been nice if Sampson had called Weber, but I don't think it was a moral or ethical requirement. It was obvious to anyone with multiple brain cells during the summer of 2006 that Gordon was considering IU. Keep in mind, a verbal commitment is a two way street. If Bruce Weber wanted to do so, he could have told Gordon, "look Eric, you say you're still going to Illinois, but I keep reading about your trips to Bloomington. I'm going to open up your scholarship and give it to the first kid who will give me a firm commitment, whether it's you or someone else." Weber didn't do that. He gambled and lost. Weber put lots of time into the Gordon recruitment, and the Illini certainly could use someone who can shoot, but I think he should stop acting like a two year-old. I would have expected any new IU coach to test the strength of Gordon's commitment to Illinois. The NCAA legislates everything from the number of pages in the media guide to the to-the-second length of official visits, no contact periods, evaluation periods, and on and on and on. The absence of a rule about recruiting committed players says something.

On to my question, I've seen a bunch of games in Assembly Hall and a handful at Mackey Arena, but none in any other Big Ten venue. The only one that I am absolutely dying to see is the Barn. They aren't really going to replace it, are they? Didn't you guys learn your lesson with the football stadium? I haven't heard anything since Tubby's initial comments. How was the idea received by Minnesota fans?

Head to The Hoosier Report for our thoughts on the keys to the game, predictions and more.

To Storm The Floor, Gophers Must Slow Gordon, White

With the Gophers men's basketball team firmly on the NCAA bubble, Thursday's nationally televised contest with the highly ranked Indiana Hoosiers is the biggest game at Williams Arena in some time.

A win gives the Gophers a much-needed resume-boosting win and an outside chance to contend for a conference title. The locals clearly know the importance of this game. The game is a virtual sell out, though some obstructed view seats remain. Rabid fans at the GopherHole have discussed waving cell phones at IU coach Kelvin Sampson to raise his ire. That should be fun, and the masses seem ready to lend the maroon and gold rodents a home court edge.

But before there can be any storming of the raised floor in The Barn, the Gophers will have to dispatch of, perhaps, the Big Ten's best team. Leading the Hoosiers is freshman Eric Gordon, arguably the best freshman in the nation and clearly the best offensive player in the conference. Gordon leads the conference in scoring by a wide margin with 23 points per game. And he's shooting nearly 43 percent (not quite Blake Hoffarber-esque) from three point range. Gordon is the real deal, and the Gophers will need to find ways to slow him down.

But Gordon is certainly no one-man show. Senior D.J. White (pictured) is the interior presence to open things up for Gordon. White is fifth in the conference in scoring at 16.6 per game and leads all Big Ten big men in rebounding with more than 10 boards per contest. And White is strikingly efficient, shooting 63 percent from the floor, a number that dwarfs Michigan State's Raymar Morgan who is shooting an equally impressive 56 percent. After seeing what Morgan did to the Gophers, putting up a career high 31 points, White's domination so far this season certainly gives Minnesota fans reason to fret.

But IU's talent goes beyond the two household names. Junior forward Jamarcus Ellis helps out White on the boards. When he has played, sophomore guard Armon Bassett has been able to fill the basket from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Jordan Crawford has also performed well, even if he gets lost in all of the attention showered upon Gordon. And while the list could go on, Minnesota's hopes of beating the Hoosiers will be realized if the Gophers can concoct a game plan that neutralizes White an/or Gordon.

The Gophers' big men have been up and down this season. Dan Coleman has a habit of disappearing against top-notch competition. And Spencer Tollackson, while great thus far in Big Ten play, isn't the kind of big man that can dominate against athletically superior inside talent. The challenge for the Gophers Tuesday night on ESPN is to slow White down in the paint, limit the second-chance opportunities he generates, and most importantly, find a way to establish an offensive presence in the paint. That large task falls on the shoulders of Tollackson and Coleman.

As far as slowing Gordon goes, Illinois' Bruce Weber might have given Tubby Smith a blueprint. The diaper dandy shot just 1-6 from three on Sunday against the Illini and 4-10 from the field altogether. Gordon finished with just 17 points, but even that number could have been much lower had the Illini not sent Gordon to the line 10 times. Weber accomplished this by putting taller, athletic players on Gordon on the perimeter. For the Gophers, this task could fall to Damian Johnson. I'm somewhat hesitant to suggest that because I'm not sure if Johnson's foot speed is up to the task. But if anyone fits the bill for the Gophers, it's Johnson. At 6'4", Gordon would provide a tough match up for Al Nolen, and that would leave Lawrence McKenzie, Kevin Payton or Lawrence Westbrook to defend the IU freshman.

The Gophers have gotten away with playing a significant amount of 2-3 zone, especially in the game at Michigan State. But the Spartans don't shoot extremely well from outside. Indiana does, coming into Thursday as second in the conference from long-range, just behind our Gophers. So, playing Tubby Smith's tenacious ball-line defense seems the way to go against the Hoosiers. And it will be very interesting to see who Tubby charges with the task of slowing Gordon.

And here are a few other keys I see to the IU game.

** Traditionally, IU has struggled at Williams Arena. Kelvin Sampson has never coached at The Barn. Eric Gordon has obviously never played in our gym. The fans need to be in the game from the beginning and make sure the Big Ten takes notice that the days of coming into a quiet Williams Arena are over.

** Blake Hoffarber needs to continue his hot-shooting ways. He's been our version of Chris Kingsbury, and we'll need his offense to open up the inside game.

** Lawrence McKenzie needs to handle the ball well when he's playing point and also look for his shot. It's not an easy combination for McKenzie, but we need both.

** Dan Coleman needs to show why he can play in the NBA. He needs to lead. That means an impressive double-double without getting into foul trouble and an aggressive night offensively. He needs to attack the basket and draw contact, not shy away from it.

** Damian Johnson and Jon Williams need to help hold down the defensive glass.

** Finally, the Gophers need to create turnovers. Since our full-court pressure might not work against the Hoosiers, the Gophers need to get those deflections and interceptions while playing tenacious half-court defense.

Prediction: The Hoosiers were unimpressive in their victory on Sunday at home against Illinois. And I think they are ripe for an upset. This will be the Hoosiers' toughest road test since they lost on a neutral court against Xavier in November. While they are the more talented team, home court means an awful lot in college basketball and compared to the Gophers, the Hoosiers are young. Experience and a raucous home court advantage win the day for Tubby Smith and the Gophers. Gophers by two, 77-75, after which the Williams Arena floor will be filled with students wearing Tubby Time shirts.

Coach Of The Year Talk Begins

It is premature. But if the season ended today no Big Ten coach has exceeded expectations the way Tubby Smith has in Minnesota. And it's not just me who thinks that.

Dave Dye in his college notebook in the Detroit News agrees.

Should we just give Tubby Smith the Big Ten coach of the year award right now?

Smith left Kentucky to take over at Minnesota, which was coming off a 9-22 season, including a 3-13 conference record.

Tubby quickly has turned the Gophers into a legitimate contender for an NCAA Tournament bid. They overcame a 16-point, second-half deficit for a 76-73 victory at Penn State.

Minnesota (12-3, 2-1) is No. 45 in the RPI. One thing the Gophers are going to need at some point is a signature victory.

The opportunities are there this week with two big home games against No. 10 Indiana (Thursday) and No. 6 Michigan State (Sunday).

Dye is right on the money here. And as an aside, wouldn't it be nice if our two local periodicals would provide us with a college notebook? I digress. If the season ended today, I would think it would be a two-man race for Big Ten coach of the year between Tubby and Matt Painter, who has his baby Boilers playing very well. Painter's team could be a Big Ten power in the year's to come.

There are a few other interesting tidbits from around the Web to share this morning.

** Rick Bozich of the Louisville Courier-Journal writes a short recap of the Indiana-Illinois game where he notes that Bruce Weber isn't a big fan of Kelvin Sampson. That's cool, and Bill Belichick like, but what I found interesting in this item was that Bozich noted how Weber slowed down Eric Gordon by putting athletic and taller defenders on the Hoosier's star freshman. I wonder if Tubby was taking notes during the Sunday matinee. If he was, we might see Damian Johnson get the honors again. Johnson was the Gopher charged with taking on Geary Claxton Saturday. While Johnson found himself in foul trouble throughout the game, he is our best defender and is versatile enough to play outside against Gordon. Al Nolen is also a candidate here to take on the star freshman, but I would think Nolen's short stature would work against him.

** The Star Tribune's Sid Hartman had a conversation with Tubby Smith, who I imagine before long will be one of Sid's "close personal friends." For now, Smith's just a source, but one who comes off as giddy after the come-from-behind win at State College, Pa. Saturday.

Here's Tubby via Sid:

As for Saturday's rally, which saw the Gophers come back after trailing 58-42 with 12:58 to play, Smith said: "We had plenty of time left in the game, and that's what I told the players: 'Don't panic, fellas. We've got plenty of time, just finish the game plan, let's carry out the game plan, keep attacking inside.'

"And sure enough, Blake [Hoffarber] got hot and we got some momentum and then we started to take the ball back inside. Damian Johnson jumped up and made a three. So, those things, and Spencer Tollackson was having a [solid game] ... [and] no three was bigger than the three that Lawrence McKenzie hit that put us ahead. That really gave us the, 'Hey look, we can win this game.' And they did."

Tubby sounds like a coach who is very pleased that his team didn't pack it in when down 16 Saturday. Also of note, in his dolling out of superlatives, one senior is noticeably missing. Just saying, it could have been an oversight.

** The typically sarcastic bloggers at 10,000 Takes take a break from taking entertaining jabs at Minnesota sports personalities and have compiled a list of The Best of Minnesota Sports. After less than one year on the job, Tubby Smith gets the honor of Best Coach. Williams Arena, pre- and post-Dan Monson gets the nod for Best Stadium Atmosphere. I tend to agree with this one, but you might not—Best Columnist: Patrick Reusse. And among a slew of other honorees you should check out, PJS gets the nod for Best Gophers Web site. Thanks to 10,000 Takes for the recognition.