U men's basketball: Paths cross again for coach, player

In 2003, Lawrence McKenzie was a talented first-year basketball player for then-Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson. Tonight McKenzie will be one of several Gophers trying to stop Sampson's latest freshman standout -- Eric Gordon -- when the Gophers play host to No. 9 Indiana.

McKenzie will have no trouble finding extra motivation for the assignment. Gordon has the offensive freedom McKenzie never had awarded to him, one of the reasons that led the Gophers senior guard to transfer from Oklahoma after his sophomore season.

Containing Gordon will be difficult -- with or without extra motivation. Gordon leads the Big Ten in scoring (23.0 points per game), sparking an 10-game Indiana winning streak.

"I mean, he's very talented, he's a very talented guy; I mean everybody can see that," McKenzie said. "You just kind of try to contain him ... usually guys like that go out and they're going to get their number of points."

Gophers coach Tubby Smith said he'll use different players and defensive schemes until he finds one that's most effective. Making the challenge more difficult is that Gordon has displayed NBA range from the three-point line -- leading the league in three-point field goals made (38) -- while proving equally adept at getting to the free-throw line.

Gordon has made a league-leading 108 free throws (in 127 attempts). By comparison, Spencer Tollackson leads the Gophers (12-3, 2-1 Big Ten) with only 65 free-throw attempts.

Gordon hit eight of 10 free throws Sunday in a 62-58 victory over Illinois, a team that had some success against the Hoosiers (14-1, 3-0) by using a rotation of defenders on Gordon. Minnesota's best perimeter defensive players -- McKenzie, Lawrence Westbrook, Damian Johnson and Al Nolen -- will play key defensive roles tonight. But a big defensive effort from McKenzie will definitely help the entire team, Smith said.

"Everybody that [plays] will be important but certainly if we have a good game out of McKenzie, he's always, he's one of our leaders, and if he has a good game defensively, that'll be very beneficial to us," said Smith, who is seeking the 400th victory of his career. "But we're not going to ask him to do any more than we ask anybody else to do. If he just does his job, then we'll be fine."

Johnson, the Gophers' leader in blocked shots (22), said the team must force Gordon to take tough shots without fouling him.

"He's got a quick first step, but if you just stay in front and contain him ... just don't foul him, don't put him on the line, don't give him easy buckets," said Johnson, a 6-7 sophomore forward. "Make him score over you, it'll help."

McKenzie hoped for the freedom Gordon clearly has when McKenzie played for Sampson at Oklahoma. The guard said he believes that leeway is one reason for the Hoosiers' success.

Now McKenzie has a first-hand opportunity to show Sampson how he's developed since he transferred. From Smith's perspective, not every player and program are a perfect fit -- which, in McKenzie's case, has turned out to be a blessing for Smith.

"[Sampson] knew he was a pretty talented player," Smith said. "But Kelvin's coached a lot of good players over the years, those that have stayed and those that have moved on, and I have, too. We're grateful that Lawrence McKenzie is here and he's had a good season for us."