Nolen, Westbrook back as Smith's starting guards

David Joles, Star Tribune

Al Nolen, center, and Lawrence Westbrook came off the bench on Saturday against Michigan, but are expected to start on Thursday against Northwestern in the Big Ten tournament opener.

Lawrence Westbrook and Al Nolen are expected to return to the starting lineup when the Big Ten conference tournament opens on Thursday in Indianapolis.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: March 11, 2009 - 7:29 AM

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In the Gophers men's basketball team's final two games of the regular season, coach Tubby Smith started guards Devoe Joseph and Blake Hoffarber. But Smith said he views Thursday's game against Northwestern as the start of a new season.

So guards Lawrence Westbrook and Al Nolen, who were the starters before Joseph and Hoffarber replaced them in a 51-46 victory over Wisconsin on Wednesday, probably will start against the Wildcats in the first round of the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, Smith said.

Smith said he brought Nolen and Westbrook off the bench to help settle them down. Nolen scored four points and Westbrook put up 31 in their first two Big Ten games as reserves. Joseph scored six points and Hoffarber added seven in the first two Big Ten starts for both players.

"I thought Blake and Devoe did a good job for us," Smith said. "The turnovers have plagued us. The thing is, I wanted to take some of the pressure off, and I think it helped. [Nolen] and [Westbrook] ... hopefully they'll be more relaxed. We talk about a new season. And they'll probably be back in the lineup -- the starting lineup."

NCAA bid on the line

The Gophers are in a situation where a loss against Northwestern could end its NCAA tournament dreams and a victory could secure an at-large bid. It's up to the selection committee to decide if the Gophers have the résumé to get in, but you can be sure that Smith is not browsing bracketology websites and blogs to read the latest speculation.

"I don't know where we are," he said about his team's NCAA tournament hopes. "Unless you're just sitting up there in the top 25 teams and have already won your conference championship, I don't think anyone is in."

No excuses

When Northwestern lost to the Gophers by 27 points Feb. 22 at Williams Arena, the team wasn't at full strength. Top scorers Kevin Coble and Craig Moore, who combined for 42 points in a Jan. 18 victory over the Gophers, scored just eight total points, after a flu bug struck the team in the days leading up to that game. Freshman center Luka Mirkovic was coming off an illness, too.

However, Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said he doesn't want to use that as an excuse for the outcome.

"They really stuck it to us up there," Carmody said. "I don't think we can use it as an excuse. Certainly, it's a fact. I think with Minnesota, they like to push the ball up the court and apply a lot of pressure and we have to handle that. And they're going to have to figure out what to do against our zone defenses. ... Our guys know we weren't at full strength."