Today's game vs. Louisiana Monroe tips off at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena. Watch on BTN; listen live on 1500-a.m.
Check out my quick preview on both teams here. My story on Friday's season opener win vs. UMKC here. Postgame notes here.
Five things to watch today, the Gophers last home game before a three-game stint in Puerto Rico this week:
- Louisiana Monroe is better than UMKC. That statement might be slightly worrisome to some Gophers fans who saw Minnesota struggle mightily at times against a Kangaroos team that should have been greatly overmatched from the start. Perhaps it should be concerning. Slotted at 196 in analyst Ken Pomeroy's national rankings, the Warhawks look like a substantially bigger threat on paper with some solid guards in Nick Coppola and Justin Robertson and a center that has the potential for some big games. Speaking of which…
- Keep an eye on Majok Deng. He's lanky to say the least but has found ways to be very effective. The 6-10, 190-pound big man averaged 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks a game a year ago, and might be even better now. Given the rawness of the Gophers current frontcourt, Deng's ability for prowess is certainly a concern. After two days of college basketball, Minnesota owned the best defense against two-point shots in the country, but then UMKC seemed mostly interested in the long ball. The Gophers will have to pack the paint more vs. Lousiana Monroe and could very well fall off that early post.
- About those three-pointers... Minnesota nailed 12 of 'em on Friday, the ultimate key to its second-half tear. But the Gophers might not have such luck from the outside against Louisiana Monroe, who is more than adequate defensively and happens to specialize on the perimeter, where the Warhawks held opponents to 30.2 percent from three-point range a year ago, 15th best nationally.
- More time for Konate. In the second half on Friday, the Gophers used an undersized, three-guard lineup with Joey King standing in as the traditional big man, and that worked great vs. a scrappy but one-dimensional team that was unprepared to guard five shooters at once. But this matchup will be different, and sophomore center Bakary Konate, who played just six minutes (and managed 2 points and 3 blocks) vs. UMKC should see some more time on the floor. He looked pretty good moving around on that left foot that kept him out for more than a month, and now he'll get his first real test vs. Deng. Should be fun to watch.
- The rebound battle. We've watched Minnesota's efforts on the boards throughout the preseason and now poor rebounding has become a storyline after the very first game, with Minnesota losing that battle 42-37 vs. UMKC. That, as a trend, won't do as the season continues. Was it a fluke? Can Minnesota grow? Or is this the struggle that could hold the Gophers back all year long?
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
More From Sports
Vikings
Vikings mock draft: seven rounds, eight picks and, yes, one quarterback
Star Tribune Vikings beat reporter Ben Goessling predicts how the team will use its nine draft picks and secure a quarterback of the future.
Vikings
Scoggins: Worried about costly trade to draft a quarterback? Don't be.
Which one, at what pick, for what cost? If the Vikings draft a quarterback who becomes a star, you won't remember what they paid to get him.
Wolves
Naz Reid. That's the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year winner.
Reid is the first player in Wolves history to win the award and only the undrafted player to win it. The vote was very close.
Vikings
Next phase of O'Connell's quarterback journey begins tonight
In the first round of the NFL draft tonight, the Vikings could make franchise history with a choice coach Kevin O'Connell was hired two years ago to make.
Variety
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer, Art Schallock, is turning 100
Whether at home or on the road, Art Schallock would begin each day by taking the elevator down to the lobby and collecting the latest comic books for roommate Yogi Berra.