Putting UM football in the same sentence as the basketball program is silly. Yes they failed to win any B1G W titles but the program has been fun to watch more often than not the past several years.
I wrote that fans accept they'll never be elite. That's a rational statement.
What a win over the corn pickers!
Rigsby with a stone cold three with 4 seconds left to win it.
https://twitter.com/bigtennetwork/status/1895943519862210825?s=46&t=UoTCikmOZyJ29kktoNzh-A
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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#12 seed Gophers fall to #13 seed Northwestern 72-64, in the first round of the B1G tournament. I would have hoped, mercifully, that we would have reached the end of the Ben Johnson era, but I saw something from Sports Illustrated that said a change is unlikely, whatever that's worth. Just move the games next season to Ridder.
Unpopular take, I don’t think it’s a Ben Johnson issue. I think it’s like being called in to Captain the Titanic after the iceberg hit.
Ben was set to have his best roster yet this season before 3 left chasing the NIL money and he was forced to retool the team suddenly. We know the NIL situation isn’t great at MN and that’s especially true for BBall. Football has seen some (not enough) traction this past season and hockey hasn’t fully felt the impact yet. Bball is certainly feeling it.
I’ve looked back and none of our post Haskins coaches have figured it out. Monson, Smith, Pitino, Johnson. None solved the proverbial puzzle. Pitino just won Mountain West coach of the year.
I’m not wedded to Johnson, but if you only change the coach then I think we’re just pushing the can down the road four more years to do it all over again.
Aloha!
MN releases this news at 1:19a???? Ok.
Nadine Babu, biggest Gopher fan ever, not happy about this one. Hard to blame her when you look at history.
What if that buyout money was NIL money?
MN releases this news at 1:19a???? Ok.
Nadine Babu, biggest Gopher fan ever, not happy about this one. Hard to blame her when you look at history.What if that buyout money was NIL money?
I've known Ben since HS. I played against him in football and basketball. His best friend was a teammate of mine. My parents worked with his parents on a number of church initiatives. I love him as a person-- he is a great guy and fierce competitor.
That doesn't mean he is right for here right now.
We need to up the show to get more interest in the basketball program. As much I as think the world of Ben, that was never his style. But it is the new world of P5 college basketball-- it's not just about Xs and Os-- it is about recruiting and prep for the NBA because every kid thinks $$$$. Coaches have to respond to that.
It's why Johnny Tauer can be wildly successful at UST but never be sniffed at a bigger school-- because it ain't about the coaching-- it's about marshaling the $$$ and the perception you bring regarding the NBA. Truly-- it is gross. That's why Tony Bennett stepped down at UVA. But it is the real world right now.
Nadine didn't want for us to move on from Pitino either. And she doesn't like hockey. So I automatically question her judgment!
Coyle was already in a lose-lose situation and somehow made it worse.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Sounds like Coyle was in Indy for the tournament. Has to be there because he’s on the selection committee for the ncaa tourney. Wanted to do it in person. Flew home, let Johnson go, then flew back. Yikes.
I don’t know who Nadine is, but her takes on this are laughable. Is she mad because Ben is a nice guy? The basketball team has been a dumpster fire for the last decade or more.
I don’t know who Nadine is, but her takes on this are laughable. Is she mad because Ben is a nice guy? The basketball team has been a dumpster fire for the last decade or more.
I think her thought is that if the U devoted that buyout amount to NIL, we could use that to up the program. But it neglects the reality that Ben is not the guy to raise more funds for NIL AND raise money to do something with Williams.
It is probably more likely that Coyle has a booster that will fund the buyout instead of it coming from institutional funds. And I think Coyle correctly believes it is going to get harder next year or subsequent years because of the House settlement to do this. So do it this fiscal year instead of next.
Look, I’m not a big 🏀 fan, but with that said, the Ben Johnson hire never made sense in the 1st place. You’ve got to have a track record as a recruiter, salesman, winner to have any chance coaching at MN. Same goes for 🏈. PJ…I can’t stand listening to his BS for more than 30 seconds, but he’s the best the Gopher can currently hope for. As far as Ben Johnson, he’s a nice guy and may know the X&O’s of 🏀, but he direly lacks the charisma to be a successful D1 coach, especially with the competitive disadvantage associated with coaching the Gophers in the BIG Ten…end of story!
A pointless question at this point and it may have been explained at the time: When the "U" moved on from Richard Pitino, how serious was the whole Brian Dutcher scenario? He's an alum, it seemed as if he had serious interest and he had 4 successful seasons at San Diego State and was a long-time assistant to Steve Fisher there and previously at Michigan. Was the "U" not interested? Hindsight is always easy, but 4 years later "Ben Johnson or ____?" seems like an easy answer.
Ben appears to be a terrific person, but doing your initial head coaching run at a B1G school is tough.
Unpopular take, I don’t think it’s a Ben Johnson issue. I think it’s like being called in to Captain the Titanic after the iceberg hit.
Ben was set to have his best roster yet this season before 3 left chasing the NIL money and he was forced to retool the team suddenly. We know the NIL situation isn’t great at MN and that’s especially true for BBall. Football has seen some (not enough) traction this past season and hockey hasn’t fully felt the impact yet. Bball is certainly feeling it.
I’ve looked back and none of our post Haskins coaches have figured it out. Monson, Smith, Pitino, Johnson. None solved the proverbial puzzle. Pitino just won Mountain West coach of the year.
I’m not wedded to Johnson, but if you only change the coach then I think we’re just pushing the can down the road four more years to do it all over again.
That best roster would have always lost Christie and was coming off a second round NIT run. They never even sniffed the bubble last year and would have had the same issue this year.
You (and half of Gopherhole and the local media) make it sound like the team has not been successful since Haskins which is a joke and full on revisionist history. Each of the coaches before Johnson made the Tournament. (Monson once, Smith 3 times and Pitino twice) Smith and Pitino won NCAA games. Pitino won an NIT Title, Smith was Runner Up and Monson at least made it multiple times. Johnson has made the postseason once...
You can bring up money all you want...a decent coach finds a way to beat North Texas. A decent coach follows up the LA wins with wins against the bottom dwellers at home. Any of the previous coaches win more games this year with the same roster. Hell last years team likely is a bubble squad or better with Smith as coach and even Pitino. NIL is a BS excuse because the roster he had won big games, but choked when the pressure got high later in the season. That wasn't money, that is coaching.
Hell Craig Smith just got canned from Utah...he would have had a better record with this squad. Not good enough to keep his job likely, but he would have been above .500 for the season.
As others have said, Ben seems like a great guy and obviously loves the University of Minnesota and this basketball team.
It seems like he's a very good X's and O's coach and the players seemed to love playing for him. But he didn't seem to do a great job fundraising in a world where that has become a massive part of the job. I hope he lands on his feet somewhere and gets another shot at a head coaching job somewhere because he seems like a great guy. I'm just bummed it didn't work out here. Too many painfully bad losses (North Texas, Penn State, and Northwestern this year in particular) that just shouldn't happen after things seemed to be turning the corner during the run where we won 6 of 9 games including upsets over Michigan and UCLA.
The Gopher job not an easy job to take on. There's painfully little NIL money to go around and an arena that is almost 100 years old (I love Williams Arena but I can 100% understand why 17-18 year old kids being recruited don't give a rat's ass about it). The fact of the matter is the Gophers haven't had back to back winning records in the Big Ten since Clem Haskins was here. Some of the kids being recruited have parents that were barely in high school at that time. They haven't seen Williams Arena at it's best. All they've seen is a half empty building and a bunch of sub-.500 conference records. I'm not sure that any coach is going to come in and turn the program around without the athletic department making the program a bigger priority.
At this point it feels like the program is drowning and it's hard to see a way out without significant financial commitment to the NIL fund for the team and at minimum a refurbishment of Williams Arena if not an entirely new arena. I know Baylor just got a new arena for about 220 million (it opened in Jan 2024). It's about half the capacity of Williams Arena but I'd guess if Minnesota wanted a new 11k seat arena (about 4k seats less than Williams can hold) it would cost about 300 million minimum.
MN releases this news at 1:19a???? Ok.
Nadine Babu, biggest Gopher fan ever, not happy about this one. Hard to blame her when you look at history.What if that buyout money was NIL money?
Nadine likes Ben...of course she isn't happy. She is also wrong.
And the timing was because Coyle was in Indy and had to fly back to do it. He flew back to Indy at 5am so there was no way to do it in the morning. (he is on the NCAA Selection Committee)
As others have said, Ben seems like a great guy and obviously loves the University of Minnesota and this basketball team.
It seems like he's a very good X's and O's coach and the players seemed to love playing for him. But he didn't seem to do a great job fundraising in a world where that has become a massive part of the job. I hope he lands on his feet somewhere and gets another shot at a head coaching job somewhere because he seems like a great guy. I'm just bummed it didn't work out here. Too many painfully bad losses (North Texas, Penn State, and Northwestern this year in particular) that just shouldn't happen after things seemed to be turning the corner during the run where we won 6 of 9 games including upsets over Michigan and UCLA.
The Gopher job not an easy job to take on. There's painfully little NIL money to go around and an arena that is almost 100 years old (I love Williams Arena but I can 100% understand why 17-18 year old kids being recruited don't give a rat's ass about it). The fact of the matter is the Gophers haven't had back to back winning records in the Big Ten since Clem Haskins was here. Some of the kids being recruited have parents that were barely in high school at that time. They haven't seen Williams Arena at it's best. All they've seen is a half empty building and a bunch of sub-.500 conference records. I'm not sure that any coach is going to come in and turn the program around without the athletic department making the program a bigger priority.At this point it feels like the program is drowning and it's hard to see a way out without significant financial commitment to the NIL fund for the team and at minimum a refurbishment of Williams Arena if not an entirely new arena. I know Baylor just got a new arena for about 220 million (it opened in Jan 2024). It's about half the capacity of Williams Arena but I'd guess if Minnesota wanted a new 11k seat arena (about 4k seats less than Williams can hold) it would cost about 300 million minimum.
It definitely does not seem that way. Watch other teams play and watch us...its night and day. He stinks at Xs and Os, he stinks at roster management and using his bench and he stinks in front of the camera which is why he can't sell the program. Sure he is a great guy, but he is a terrible in game coach.
As for tough jobs...Penn State had never made an NCAA tourny and found a way to be better. Rutgers found a way to be better, Northwestern found a way...hire right and things improve. Take stupid leaps for no reason (Pitino and Ben) and it goes sideways fast.
I always appreciate an opinion in the minority is "wrong" 🤣
I'm not here to say Ben was the answer or that Ben is better than any previous coach we've had. But I am here to look at our history and say we've fired 4 coaches since Clem. None ever doing better than sniffing the NCAA tourney. They've made the tourney 6 times since 1999 and have two total wins to show for it. Hardly "winning championships" as quoted by Coyle.
Could this team have won 2-3 more games with a different coach? Maybe. Maybe they don't get the top 25 upsets at home though either.
My point is, as we move on to our 5th coach since Clem, at some point you have realize it's not (just) the coach and do something other than fire and hire. If all we do is replace the coach, then we go back to the ever so slightly better Pitino results? Super. And that's not a dig on Pitino. Pitino is actually doing well, probably shouldn't have fired him in the first place.
This isn't about if Ben is the right guy or not. It's about what systemic change is going to happen to allow any of the coaches we've had or will have to be successful? I know there's a feasibility study underway regarding The Barn, so we'll probably have recommendations on what to do there in the next 12-24 months, which leads to fundraising efforts, which means hopefully we have a completed solution there by 2035.
NIL is a BS excuse because the roster he had won big games, but choked when the pressure got high later in the season. That wasn't money, that is coaching.
The terrible FT shooting in a close game is a result of bad coaching? Sorry I don't buy that. He definitely had some issues at times but if the team makes FTs at a rate that would even put them in the top 125 in the nation (75%) then at least 3 of the games below end with a Gopher win.
3pt loss to North Texas: 68% from the FT line (15/22)
2pt OT loss to Wichita State: 52.9% from the FT line (9/17)
6pt loss to Wake Forest: 40% from the FT line (6/15)
1pt 2OT loss to Ohio State: 44.4% from FT line (12/27)
3pt loss to Washington: 66.7% from the FT line (16/24)
7pt loss to Wisconsin: 53.3% from the FT line (8/15)
8pt OT loss to Rutgers: 56.5% from the FT line (13/23)
If they make 80% of their FTs in all these games they are wins or at least the team has a chance to win at the end of the game (in the case of Wisconsin).
The insane part about these stats is they also have multiple games where they shot well above 80% at the line so we know they were capable of making them at times. But they shot 66% from the line during the season, good for 329th in the nation. And for a team that couldn't make FTs they relied a lot on getting in the paint to score, shooting 32% from 3pt range, good for 276th in the nation.
Those don't scream "coaching issue" to me. Those scream "lack of talent" or "lack of consistency".
deleted cuz this was a duplicated post for some reason
It's really sad when the basketball team's FT shooting percentage (65%) is not that much better than the hockey team's shootout (0%) success rate.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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The BBall team was a long way from 0% 🤣 - which I shouldn't laugh about given the impact of not getting one lousy point on the hockey team. Get that 1 point and we're still playing and Huglen isn't out for the playoffs.
Anyway, the free throw shooting issues predate Ben, too. That's a decade long complaint.
Whomever they bring in needs to at the very least attract some of the top talent here. The previous two MN coaches did not do that, and there has been some nice NBA talent coming out of here for the last decade. Idk why a lot of them end up at Gonzaga.
'29, '40, '74, '76, '79, '02, & '03
GPL's Resident Cabin Enthusiast & Cadets Hockey Fan
NIL is a BS excuse because the roster he had won big games, but choked when the pressure got high later in the season. That wasn't money, that is coaching.
The terrible FT shooting in a close game is a result of bad coaching? Sorry I don't buy that. He definitely had some issues at times but if the team makes FTs at a rate that would even put them in the top 125 in the nation (75%) then at least 3 of the games below end with a Gopher win.
3pt loss to North Texas: 68% from the FT line (15/22)
2pt OT loss to Wichita State: 52.9% from the FT line (9/17)
6pt loss to Wake Forest: 40% from the FT line (6/15)
1pt 2OT loss to Ohio State: 44.4% from FT line (12/27)
3pt loss to Washington: 66.7% from the FT line (16/24)
7pt loss to Wisconsin: 53.3% from the FT line (8/15)
8pt OT loss to Rutgers: 56.5% from the FT line (13/23)
If they make 80% of their FTs in all these games they are wins or at least the team has a chance to win at the end of the game (in the case of Wisconsin).
The insane part about these stats is they also have multiple games where they shot well above 80% at the line so we know they were capable of making them at times. But they shot 66% from the line during the season, good for 329th in the nation. And for a team that couldn't make FTs they relied a lot on getting in the paint to score, shooting 32% from 3pt range, good for 276th in the nation.
Those don't scream "coaching issue" to me. Those scream "lack of talent" or "lack of consistency".
FT shooting I can't speak to...but no one I know who understands basketball at all watched his teams and marvel at the inability to run offensive or defensive sets or adapt as the game goes on. And the substitution issues are crazy.
Thorson was supposed to help with his inexperience...but he often coaches like he is befuddled.
I always appreciate an opinion in the minority is "wrong" 🤣
I'm not here to say Ben was the answer or that Ben is better than any previous coach we've had. But I am here to look at our history and say we've fired 4 coaches since Clem. None ever doing better than sniffing the NCAA tourney. They've made the tourney 6 times since 1999 and have two total wins to show for it. Hardly "winning championships" as quoted by Coyle.
Could this team have won 2-3 more games with a different coach? Maybe. Maybe they don't get the top 25 upsets at home though either.
My point is, as we move on to our 5th coach since Clem, at some point you have realize it's not (just) the coach and do something other than fire and hire. If all we do is replace the coach, then we go back to the ever so slightly better Pitino results? Super. And that's not a dig on Pitino. Pitino is actually doing well, probably shouldn't have fired him in the first place.
This isn't about if Ben is the right guy or not. It's about what systemic change is going to happen to allow any of the coaches we've had or will have to be successful? I know there's a feasibility study underway regarding The Barn, so we'll probably have recommendations on what to do there in the next 12-24 months, which leads to fundraising efforts, which means hopefully we have a completed solution there by 2035.
Sorry...I just let Ghole frustration bleed over.
The U gets blame too obviously. They fired Tubby with no plan which lead to a scramble hire of Pitino who was not even close to ready. (He is at the perfect level for his style) Then they fired him and took a leap of faith based on trying to satisfy locals and AAU clowns. They set Ben up to fail...and he stunk enough to do it. He was not qualified for the job and still isn't.
I don't think this time it goes that way. If Coyle pulled the trigger this fast he has someone ready. That is how it was with Fleck, the Women's coach...etc. Will it work out? Who knows but next year the team was going to likely stink anyways so now is the time. I don't care about a title...I just want a team that can play above average Big Ten basketball most years. That won't take much.
There is no excuse for Ben being under .500 this season with the schedule they had.
The BBall team was a long way from 0% 🤣 - which I shouldn't laugh about given the impact of not getting one lousy point on the hockey team. Get that 1 point and we're still playing and Huglen isn't out for the playoffs.
Anyway, the free throw shooting issues predate Ben, too. That's a decade long complaint.
Goes back to Tubby...who also had 7ft players who could barely hit a layup. (as did Pitino)
Pitino a hot name for the many major openings. Watch him land at Iowa or Indiana.
Pitino a hot name for the many major openings. Watch him land at Iowa or Indiana.
Goes to IA and then owns us for the next 20 years lol
Pitino a hot name for the many major openings. Watch him land at Iowa or Indiana.
Iowa wants one of McCollum or Devries I think. I think McCollum grew up in Iowa City but I cant remember.
Pitino would be smart to stay at the mid-major level. He is not a major conference coach his style is way too chaotic and haphazard. Its great at places like New Mexico because in conferences like that letting one player dominate on the ball and go hero on the bit can get you a lot of wins and into the tournament/. In a real conference it is a recipe for minor success.
If the Gophers do hire Medved as is rumored (not who I would want of all the possibilities out there) Pitino would be smart to try and get the Colorado State job.
Pitino a hot name for the many major openings. Watch him land at Iowa or Indiana.
Oh thank god, a place where I can bitch about Hoosier fans. As a Hoosier fan (by way of my Indiana-born rather), a lot of them on the message boards I peruse want woman-beater Chris Beard of Ole Miss. Assuming Indiana’s AD, Scott Dolson, doesn’t want to torpedo his career this early, the hot names are Ben McCollum (with the potential to lose him to Iowa, like Handy said), and a huge NO to Brownell of Clemson. No one is talking about Pitino, who would also be a no for me, personally. I hope DeVries goes to Iowa and we get Ben McCollum. But I also was gung-ho about hiring Archie Miller after Crean started careening, so…
Iowa wants one of McCollum or Devries I think. I think McCollum grew up in Iowa City but I cant remember.
My brother-in-law (Hawks fan) has been saying Devries.
Keep your stick on the ice...
Sounds like it might be DeVries to Indiana.
Not Iowa.
Sounds like it might be DeVries to Indiana.
Not Iowa.
Iowa may luck out and get McCollum even though he was obviously not their first choice. The rumor to Indiana made little sense they would be settling based on his resume.
Oh thank god, a place where I can bitch about Hoosier fans. As a Hoosier fan (by way of my Indiana-born rather), a lot of them on the message boards I peruse want woman-beater Chris Beard of Ole Miss. Assuming Indiana’s AD, Scott Dolson, doesn’t want to torpedo his career this early, the hot names are Ben McCollum (with the potential to lose him to Iowa, like Handy said), and a huge NO to Brownell of Clemson. No one is talking about Pitino, who would also be a no for me, personally. I hope DeVries goes to Iowa and we get Ben McCollum. But I also was gung-ho about hiring Archie Miller after Crean started careening, so…
Boiler up! 🤣
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Sounds like it might be DeVries to Indiana.
Not Iowa.
DeVries to Indiana is it. He was talked about as a second-tier choice by Hoosier fans, but most figured Iowa as well. Oh well, I hope he’s the right one. Outside of Crean, IU hasn’t had a good coach since Sampson.
Iowa may luck out and get McCollum even though he was obviously not their first choice.
As an Iowa fan who hasn't acknowledged the men's team since the failed Steve Alford experiment I was in the group hoping for Darian DeVries. He checked some boxes; Iowa born, successful as a high school and college player, successful as a coach in the state of Iowa, and his family has ties to Iowa with his brother being an All American Defensive End for the Hawkeyes. I'm not upset that he ended up choosing Indiana over Iowa, it's probably a money issue. Rumor running amuck is that NIL was a real issue for Iowa to try to make up.
McCollum, I believe, was the 1B to DeVries being 1A for choices. McCollum was born in Iowa City but grew up in Northwest Iowa and graduated high school from Remsem St. Mary's which is a catholic high school. He checks a lot of boxes for Iowa fans like DeVries, maybe not as many but I think Iowa fans like his story. I hope that Iowa gets him but I do feel bad for Drake if that happens. Their program will have to find a new head coach for the second year in the row.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Agree completely on Pitino. Do really well in your conference and maybe grab a "name win" during the season. Get into the tournament and pull an upset or two. Then you build enough notoriety to get some better talent and occasionally do a Cinderella run, like San Diego State did over the previous couple years. I guess I don't see the need to always "move up". If you're a coach at a mid-major and you're happy, isn't that enough?Pitino a hot name for the many major openings. Watch him land at Iowa or Indiana.
Iowa wants one of McCollum or Devries I think. I think McCollum grew up in Iowa City but I cant remember.
Pitino would be smart to stay at the mid-major level. He is not a major conference coach his style is way too chaotic and haphazard. Its great at places like New Mexico because in conferences like that letting one player dominate on the ball and go hero on the bit can get you a lot of wins and into the tournament/. In a real conference it is a recipe for minor success.
If the Gophers do hire Medved as is rumored (not who I would want of all the possibilities out there) Pitino would be smart to try and get the Colorado State job.
As to the new Gopher coach, who are some candidates you would have high on your list? These days, I'm the furthest thing from an "insider" in pretty much all sports, but certainly college basketball.
Medved's squad had 2 wins in the tourney and lost to the #4 by 1 point as a #12. And they looked well-coaches in the process. Plus it's rumored that some of his players would come with him if hired.
Aside from being contrarian what would be wrong with the hire?
It's Niko.
everyone confirming it.
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
Medved's squad had 2 wins in the tourney and lost to the #4 by 1 point as a #12. And they looked well-coaches in the process. Plus it's rumored that some of his players would come with him if hired.
Aside from being contrarian what would be wrong with the hire?
It has nothing to do with being a contrarian...jesus get a new bit Francis.
My comment wasn't a knock on Niko, there was better names out there that I would have preferred. (most of whom would not have come like DeVries or even McCollum but still) Plus, prior to the tourny run how many people had even heard of Niko? The idea is to juice people into caring and before the tournament there is not much chance that would have happened. Being a buzzer beater away from the Sweet Sixteen obviously changes that.
I think Niko is a very good coach, I just think a lot of the problems this program has go beyond just coaching and I worry that Niko will have issues with that. If he can play the NIL game like PJ does though then in 4 years this team will be back to what it was when Niko and his dad were going to games.
The real issue is, usually when Niko gets brought up it is in the context that he is "one of us". Very few people knew anything about him as a coach. 4 years ago he was known as a coach who rebuilds. (he was a hot rumor for our job then) Since then he has made 3 NCAAs and is one of the hottest coaches on the market thanks to a nice March this year. The hire looks better now than it did even 2 weeks ago.
The Big Ten just added 3 of the best coaches on the market. Where that leads who knows but 2 of them landed their dream jobs (Niko and McCollum) and Devries just got out of Morgantown to head to a team that has the possible resources to return to glory if they choose. Even crazier...each coached at Drake 😮
Saw on Twitter that between Ben's buyout, Niko's buyout, and Niko's new contract, the Gophers are paying about $10 million for Medved. Hopefully that's a sign that they're going to actually put significant resources into the program now.
I think Medved is a great coach and a very good hire with all the national attention he got the last 3-4 weeks should help immediately make the program more attractive to players in the transfer portal.
Hopefully he works out because I'd love to have a good basketball team to cheer for again.
Niko is 10 times the coach Ben was...so I have no doubt the team will be better. (low bar) I would bet good money Niko takes the team 2 years ago to the NCAAs and last years team would have likely been bubble team because they would not have lost to the dregs of the league to close out the season. If he had not agreed to a deal with us back when our season was ending he would have had his pick of jobs. We are lucky this is his dream job because we (not unlike Iowa) just lucked into one of the best lower level coaches out there that likely never leave unless they are fired.
I don't think we are going to be a force or anything...but I would bet we get back tot he Clem type success where 2 out of 4 years we were likely to make the tournament and the other years make a run in the NIT. We get back to that and the Gophers could own this town again.
Gopher women playing for the WBIT championship tonight at 6:00 PM (ESPN2)
Gopher women playing for the WBIT championship tonight at 6:00 PM (ESPN2)
why did they change to name from WNIT to WBIT?
Aloha!
Gopher women playing for the WBIT championship tonight at 6:00 PM (ESPN2)
why did they change to name from WNIT to WBIT?
I may be wrong, but I think there is both a WNIT and a WBIT
Appears the WBIT is the newer & better of the non-NCAA, tournament options. 🤔
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Basketball_Invitation_Tournament
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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I wonder if the WNIT is being treated like the NIT in that it is now just a Mid-Major tourny. The Crown Tournament (I think that is the name) is the major conference non-NCAA tourny and it offers NIL compensation as a prize.