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With the help of first-year Gophers Malik Smith (30) and DeAndre Mathieu, coach Richard Pitino has kept his team in the NCAA tournament hunt. ESPN projects the Gophers as a No. 11 seed. That’s where they landed last season.
KYNDELL HARKNESS • kyndell.harkness@startribune.com,
Rand: Pitino doing more with less?
- February 11, 2014 - 7:36 AM
The differences between this year’s Gophers men’s basketball and last year’s team are numerous, starting of course with head coach Richard Pitino taking over for the fired Tubby Smith.
That said, the similarities are also pretty striking — even if this year’s squad seems to be giving off far more of a positive vibe with the fans. That’s a credit to Pitino, since expectations for this season were lower than they were a year ago, but still: Let’s take a look.
|
2012-13 Gophers |
Category |
2013-14 Gophers |
|
17-7, 5-6 |
Overall/Big Ten record as of Feb. 11 |
16-8, 5-6 |
|
Four-game losing streak after a 3-0 start |
Conference slump before Feb. 11 |
Three-game losing streak by a combined eight points |
|
Wisconsin |
Opponent in 25th game of season |
Wisconsin |
|
Andre Hollins, 14.6 ppg |
Leading scorer |
Andre Hollins, 14.9 ppg |
|
Trevor Mbakwe, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility |
Surprising contribution from a big man |
Mo Walker, who dropped 60 pounds in the offseason |
|
February home win over Indiana |
Desperately needed victory to remain in NCAA tournament hunt |
February home win over Indiana |
|
No. 11 seed, faced UCLA in their first game |
Gophers in the NCAA tournament |
Projected as a No. 11 seed in latest ESPN “bracketology” report |
MICHAEL RAND
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