Gopher Hole

The Minnesota Golden Gopher basketball team has an unimpressive 4-3 record thus far. The three losses include: Portland, Texas A&M and Miami, Fl. The season is still long, but the team has put themselves in a hole to start the season. The team has struggled mightily in various aspects of the game...here are my frustrations thus far:

* Ralph Sampson III is weak. I don't know if Tubby is trying to build confidence in the young man by leaving him in the starting lineup, but Colton Iverson should be playing major minutes over him right now.

* No one on the entire squad has a mid-range game off the dribble on the offensive end. We either spot up behind the arc or drive carelessly at the hoop and risk a charge being called against us. Does anyone know what a jump stop is on this team?

* The zone offense is ridiculous. I'll be surprised if the Gophers don't see a zone thrown at them for stretches during every game (besides Michigan State/Izzo loves man to man defense) this year. Their ball movement is horrible and it's all around the perimeter during the majority of the possession. Get the ball in the middle and attack the zone.

* Our "defense" is overrated. I don't think they fight through and/or switch on picks well enough. We give up way too many uncontested three point attempts to our opponents. And lastly, but most importantly...we don't rebound well at all on the defensive end.

* Rodney Williams should not be starting. I know he's only a freshman, but he's a liability with the ball in his hands. With a team struggling to generate points...it's hard to do that while you are turning the ball over to the other team. Let him come in off the bench during stretches in the game where we decide we might want to put some full court pressure on our opponents.

* Good teams make free throws...Minnesota hasn't done that, potentially costing them at least a game (Texas A&M) if not two.

SBG