Minnesota Golden Gophers Basketball

Even though they failed to beat the Stanford Cardinal in the NIT title game, it is clear that coach Tubby Smith has the Minnesota Golden Gophers finally back on track to consistently contend in college basketball's postseason.

Smith took over the program at the start of the 2007-08 season and immediately took the team from failure to success. They turned a team that went 9-22 in the previous season to a team that went 20-13 and made the NIT.

Since then, the team has continued to thrive under Smith, going 83-50. They did make the NCAA tournament from 2008-10, but missed out on postseason play during the 2010-11 season.

The Gophers bounced back though, and Smith took the team to their best season since he took over, going 23-14 and making it all the way to the title game of the NIT.

Even though they lost 75-51, one can't ignore the strides that the team has made, especially given what they have gone through as of late.

It wasn't just a huge accomplishment for Smith, but also for the entire Gophers basketball program. They haven't had much recent success because the program is still recovering from the scandals in the early 1990s that rocked the university.

Smith's success breathes a new light into the university and should have people excited once again about Gophers basketball.

They have continued to struggle against their Big Ten opponents, winning just 12 of their 36 games in the last two years, but their success outside of the conference is a positive factor worth noting.

While the team is still far away from becoming a force in college basketball, it is becoming quite clear that the hire of Smith was the best move for this program, and will have them moving in the right direction sooner than anyone would have thought.


Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
Follow @Real_Jeff_Chase

While losing the NIT finals is never fun, Minnesota can take some solace in the fact that like Stanford, they have an incredibly bright future ahead of them. 

Not only will Minnesota return most of it's top players, but if you look at the roster (per ESPN), you will see only one senior, Ralph Sampson III.   

One name you wont see there is Trevor Mbakwe, who was inactive for most of the season. 

The Associated Press (via ESPN) has even said that Mbakwe will likely come back as a medical redshirt for one more year. He was the team's top player early in the season before getting hurt in the seventh game of the campaign. 

Next year's Minnesota team will be the perfect squad to compete in the Big Ten against some of the more talented rosters like Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Michigan. 

The reason is that those teams tend to rely a lot on freshmen and sophomores for scoring. While they may bring in the more talented rosters in terms of NBA talent, those teams often have trouble against players that have been playing together for two or three years.

Minnesota will have that working in its favor next season, and that will translate to at least the NCAA, and don't be surprised to see them make a run once they're in. 

It is just extremely rare for teams in this era to be made up of the same players for consecutive seasons. When a team is afforded that opportunity and was already pretty good to begin with, they rarely fail to improve the next season. 

The NIT is hardly on anyone's list of goals on the regular season and, if it is, you would have to assume that it's pretty much a "Win or Bust" sort of deal. But even though the Golden Gophers lost the NIT Final this year, it will turn in to greater success in 2013.

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OK, so we all know this recent postseason run by the Minnesota Golden Gophers has been made at the kids table while the grownups just sit back and snicker while drinking brandy and smoking stogies.

Either way, I’m having a hell of a good time watching.

The rodents from the “U” have made an impressive run (at LaSalle, Miami, Middle Tennessee State; at MSG vs. Washington) to earn their first trip to the NIT championship since 1998. Say what you want, but a trip to New York and Madison Square Garden must be pretty exciting for these kids.

They also went down in the record books as only the second team in history to win all their NIT games on the road to advance to NYC.

The old argument (that even my buddies at STOB and I don’t bother going back in forth with), however, has reared its ugly head. You know the one—about if making a run in the NIT is, in some ways, better than a first-round knockout of the NCAA tournament. I can see people making arguments for both sides right now.

To me, it really depends on the team.

This year, for a team like UNC, I would say no because it is an experienced team that doesn’t really have much room for further growth with the players on the roster. The Tar Heels, like all established teams—yes, I am saying the Gophers aren’t established—would most likely stick their nose in the air at the NIT.

A young Gophers team, however? It accepts the invite and puts on its best dancing shoes.

The Gophers, unlike UNC, can grow—and have—from a run in the NIT. Now, notice I said "a run." If they would have been knocked out in the first game against LaSalle, this whole writeup would be null and void.

I’ve said it from the minute the Gophers got the invite: “I’d be more impressed if they win the NIT than I would have been if they lost in the first round of the NCAA.” Some called me stupid, but I beg to differ.

A team currently starting three freshmen (Andre Hollins, Joe Coleman, Elliott Eliason) needed this. They needed this NIT berth to give them not only confidence, but also tournament experience.

If you have been watching the past four games, they are getting both by the handfuls.

Hollins, in my honest opinion, might be the best guard we have seen at the “U” since Bobby Jackson. Is that a stretch? Maybe, but I don’t think so. The kid is a stud. If not for the games missed earlier this season due to injury, this article might be about the NCCA run they might still be on.

Coleman is on his way as well. The Hopkins standout showed flashes earlier this year (see PSU game) but seemed to hit a wall late. However, like all great fighters, he has caught his second wind and is running full speed.

Double E is a monster. I could end it there, but I feel this Nebraska big man deserves some love. Since Ralph Sampson III has gone down, Eliason has been put into the starting five and, for the most part, hasn’t looked back. Sure, he might foul too much, but he is a redshirt freshman. Those things will happen. Other than that, he has been a hardworking, tough-nosed kid that might just be the best big man Tubby Smith has coached.

With all that said about the freshman, there is still one man that has really turned it one. His name, you ask? Rodney Williams.

RW33 came in his freshman season with a load of hype. He didn’t live up to it. Plain and simple, it seemed like that hype was a load of manure. In fact, he hasn’t lived up to it until this year, his junior year. It all seemed to click when he was moved to the 4 spot after the season-ending injury to Trevor Mbakwe.

Even then, he wasn’t the force he is now.

Williams has scored more than 20 points in the last six games and is a new player. A switch has been turned on and I never want to see it turned off. Send me the Xcel bill if need be. I’ll gladly pay it.

He is a leader now, not just in the way he is playing, but in the way he is talking to his teammates. He is in their face—in a good way—letting them know it’s all right to make mistakes, it’s OK to get knocked down, just keep playing.

All I can say is that if this core is back and Mbakwe gets that sixth year of eligibility (and he should), watch out. The Gophers might just take a seat at the grownups table and drink everyone else under it.

The 2012 NIT Championship kicks off tonight, and the top players from the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Stanford Cardinal are ready to tear it up. 

This may not be the premier college basketball tournament of March, but it's a finals matchup, so both teams will be giving it their all. 

A complete team effort will be needed to win, but do expect the elites on the team to step up and take care of business. 

That being said, here's how I project the stat lines for the top three players in the 2012 NIT Championship game. 

Rodney Williams, Minnesota 

Averaging 11 points during the year, Williams has really stepped his game up in the NIT, which is a huge reason why the Golden Gophers made it to the finals. 

Williams is averaging 21 points per game during the NIT, and he's not going to stop performing at a high level. 

Minnesota needs him to thrive for just one more game, and Williams will make sure he delivers for the Golden Gophers. 

Prediction: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks 

Chasson Randle, Stanford 

The Cardinal's best player all year has been freshman guard Chasson Randle, and even though he's young and inexperienced, he's going to step up in a major way during the finals match. 

Randle has been leading Stanford throughout the NIT, and he knows how much his team needs him tonight. 

Look for the 6'1" guard to put the team on his back and try to carry the Cardinal to a NIT Championship victory. 

Prediction: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists 

Andre Hollins, Minnesota 

Another freshman guard that has been lighting it up recently, Hollins is rivaling Williams for the best player on the Golden Gophers during the NIT. 

Hollins is playing with his older brother Austin, which definitely helps him on the court. Their chemistry together makes him play better, and his past few performances are perfect evidence of that. 

In his past two games, Hollins has scored 20 and 24 points, so look for him to step up once again and help Minnesota all night long. 

Prediction: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists 

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are finding themselves in the 2012 NIT, and they will keep that ball rolling next season. 

That will be a nice turnaround after a rough season. Minnesota is 23-14 heading into the NIT championship game with a 23-14 record. However, most of those wins came against a weak non-conference schedule. 

Minnesota was just 6-12 in the Big Ten. This team is capable of better things than what they showed. 

They rolled through their first two games of the NIT, and took down No. 1 seed Washington in overtime. That game was especially impressive, as they showed they could thrive against a team as athletic as the Huskies. 

The most promising part of all of this is that they are doing it with youngsters. Seniors Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III are out with injuries.  

Against Washington, the Golden Gophers started three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. And they played fantastically together. 

This is helping these young guys build chemistry and confidence. They are also learning how to be versatile. 

The Associated Press, via SI.com, offered up this revealing quote from Gophers coach Tubby Smith.

Roles change daily for us with so many missed practices, missed games, and it's been tough. As a coach you want to know, and as players you want to know, their roles and their responsibilities, and they're not that clearly defined because of other extenuating circumstances.

This team has a strong nucleus returning and that nucleus is learning how to succeed in a tournament setting. 

Last year's NIT winner, Wichita State, earned a No. 5 seed in this season's NCAA tournament. The Gophers will enjoy similar success next season. 

The final matchup in the NIT tournament between No. 6 Minnesota and No. 3 Stanford feels rather appropriate in an odd way.

It makes sense that the Golden Gophers have made it this far. They came into the tournament as a low-seeded team, but the NIT competition proved to be too easy after having to face tough competition in the Big Ten. Minnesota went from being a small fish in a big pond to being a big fish in a small pond.

The Cardinal are coming from the worst of the power six conferences (Pac-12), but here they are in the final game of the NIT while Washington and Oregon, two of the better teams in the Pac-12 this season, are both out. 

Washington is out thanks to Minnesota, as the Golden Gophers upset the Huskies in a thrilling overtime game on Tuesday night. Washington came into the game as a big favorite because of its ability to put points on the board, but Minnesota had little trouble bottling up the Huskies' offensive attack.

Minnesota was able to limit Washington in large part because it kept the Huskies' guards in check. Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten and Abdul Gaddy were a combined 14-of-45 from the field, and that's a big reason why Washington shot just 37.1 percent as a team. It's also a big reason Washington lost, period.

This doesn't bode well for Stanford, which also thrives on good play from its guards, particularly Chasson Randle and Aaron Bright. If Minnesota can bottle up Washington's guards, they should be able to bottle up Stanford's guards with ease.

If so, a lot of pressure is going to be put on senior forward Josh Owens, Stanford's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder. He's been pretty reliable thus far in the NIT tournament, scoring 15 points in three of Stanford's four games and recording a double-double against UMass. 

Owens will have a tough time canceling out Rodney Williams however. Williams has been on fire since the start of the NIT, scoring at least 18 points in each game and pulling down plenty of rebounds. He'll be able to offset whatever productions Owens provides, putting the Cardinal at a disadvantage.

This is a game Minnesota should win, and nobody should be surprised if the Golden Gophers win easily. The Cardinal are not the toughest team they've faced all season. In fact, the Cardinal aren't the toughest team Minnesota has faced in this tournament.

If Minnesota doesn't win the NIT, it will be a big surprise.

Prediction: Minnesota by seven

The NIT comes to a conclusion on Thursday night when the No. 6 seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers (23-14) will take on the No. 3 seed Stanford Cardinal (25-11) for the championship.

Both teams have defied the odds and made it this far, and it doesn’t look like either is ready to roll over in the final game of the season.

Keep reading to find a complete breakdown and preview of this exciting title game.

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York

When: Thursday, March 29 at 7 p.m. EDT

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN3

Key Injuries

Minnesota

F Oto Osenieks – QUESTIONABLE (Head)

F Ralph Sampson III – QUESTIONABLE (Knee)

F Trevor Mbakwe – OUT (ACL)

Stanford

G Gabriel Harris – OUT (Knee)

What's At Stake?

While the NIT isn’t the most glamorous tournament, a win is definitely appreciated by schools as they end their season on a high note. Seniors get to finish their collegiate careers as champions, and it builds momentum for the next year.

Minnesota and Stanford are both going to take this game extremely seriously as neither wants to go home as losers after battling this far.

Expect a bloodbath as both sides give it their all.

What They're Saying

Amelia Rayno of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune found that the Golden Gophers coach Tubby Smith is proud of his team and possibly a bit surprised they made it this far.

I’m just proud of their perseverance and their ability to overcome. It’s really just amazing, I’ve been really amazed at how we’ve stepped up and just played.

David Satriano at The New York Post reported that Stanford didn’t shoot well against UMass but still got into the championship game, as Stanford head coach Johnny Dawkins said:

I thought they did a great job on a night where we didn’t shoot the ball extremely well, just found a way to win.

Most Important Player to Watch: Rodney Williams

The junior forward from Minneapolis is going to be hugely important if the Golden Gophers want a chance of winning this game.

His NIT performances have been huge thus far and he is averaging a solid 21 points per game through four rounds so far.

Key Matchup: Guard Play

Chasson Randle, Aaron Bright and Anthony Brown have been lighting it up for the Cardinal and will be a handful to contain.

Minnesota also has a potent scoring duo in its backcourt of Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins, two unrelated players who are able to fill it up.

Prediction

Minnesota 72, Stanford 71

The Minnesota Golden Gophers pulled off a great upset in overtime against the Washington Huskies in overtime of the NIT semifinals and are now moving on to the championship game.

Their opponent, the Stanford Cardinal, will not be able to stop them.

Here are a few reasons why the Gophers are going to claim the NIT title.

Teamwork

Minnesota has lost two of their best players and is still persevering because they are playing as a complete unit.

They haven’t let the absence of star forward Trevor Mbakwe, who went down with a season-ending injury earlier in the year, and Ralph Sampson III, who is dealing with a sprained knee and not playing in the tournament, derail their dreams of ending the 2011-12 campaign on a high note.

Rodney Williams has stepped up huge and is averaging 21 points in four NIT games. The rest of the supporting cast is chipping in as well, and the team is scoring well above the 67.4 points per game they averaged during the regular season.

Coaching

Tubby Smith is no stranger to winning. He captured the 1998 NCAA Championship with the Kentucky Wildcats and has a career head coaching record of 490-212.

He’s only managed to take this Minnesota team to the first round of the NCAA tournament during his five years as the leader, but winning the NIT is a good way to keep his job and give them something to build on next season.

Smith will have his Gophers prepared and ready to play great defense and share the rock. It will ensure that they go back to Minneapolis as champions.