Not trying to be a naysayer about 2016-2017 Minnesota basketball but just by looking at their schedule it would seem to me that they beat who they were supposed to beat and lost to who they were supposed to lose to (MSU, FSU)
I think this is going to be a down year for the Big 10. A bunch of teams that are normally much better beating teams that also are normally much better and come march they will all go "but we beat Purdue back in January!"
turns out purdue is a marginal team as well. And Michigan st. And every other team in the big 10
you've always have and always will be a gopher naysayer
the big ten doesn't have a top 5 team but they are easily the 3rd best conference in the country, half the schools will make the NCAAs
you realize gophers went 8-23 last year? currently 14-2
purdue is not a marginal team. they beat a decent iowa squad by 22 and won @OSU who is a better team than record indicates..boiler's caleb swanigen might be the best player in NCAAs
might gophs are coming off back to back road wins(@purdue, and @NW a team a lot of people expect to make their first NCAA, ever)
currently gophers SOS is 7 and their RPI rank is 5
i've been watching this team play for so long and i can say the product they have is as high of a level as ever and their only senior is their 6th man 6'4 undersized 2 guard
nate mason, 3rd year starting(junior0 PG will end up first team big ten(i think he goes to NBA and has a better career than trey burke), soph PF jordan murphy will end up 2nd team all big ten, amir coffey will be a first team all freshman big ten and C reggie lynch is on pace to be defensive player of the year
pitno was on the hot seat big time going into the year, and he's handling the pressure like a boss(overcoming back to back 7 pt second half deficits on the road vs NCAA quality teams is huge, he's been known not to be able to win close games, last two game @pur and @NW are a sign of what goes on). resign him now...but knowing the awful university they'll probably fire him after being a 4 seed in the NCAAs
i just want to remind the mal3 his shit talking before the year, gophers can beat your team, just watch them
the opening B1G schedule of MSU, @pur, @NW, OSU and @MSU people were begging of just a 1-4 start. It's going to be 3-2 at worst. which is likely, either they blow it vs OSU sunday or lose to MSU again on wednesday
this squad will head into next season as B1G favorites