Gophers, as always, value defense

Marlin Levison, Dml - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Gophers forward Damian Johnson blocked Tennessee Tech’s Bassey Inameti in Friday’s season opener at Williams Arena.

For coach Tubby Smith, good defense is what wins games. This year's players are with him all the way.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: November 16, 2009 - 5:08 PM

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Whenever they find themselves in a rut, the Gophers get defensive.

They lock up passing lanes. They contest shots. They go after steals.

Tubby Smith's philosophy relies on defense-first playmaking. That's nothing new.

But with a healthy roster featuring veterans who have a better understanding of Smith's system and newcomers with great athleticism, this could be -- should be -- his best defensive unit with the Gophers, as they prepare to face Stephen F. Austin, last season's No. 1 scoring defense in the Southland Conference, tonight at Williams Arena.

Through two exhibitions and Friday's season opener, Smith said he's noticed that the Gophers are a more active team on defense.

He tracks the team's pass deflections every game and uses the results as a significant measuring stick of a player's progress. He said Minnesota was already outperforming last year's team in that category.

Leading 9-7 nearly seven minutes into their season opener against Tennessee Tech Friday night, the Gophers turned up their defensive tempo during a 28-15 run to close out the first half. In all, the Gophers forced 27 turnovers, 12 more than last season's average for an opponent.

"Guys understand that's the most important stat and a very critical stat in our effort area and how we measure how hard they're playing," Smith said. "And just like [Friday] night, we weren't making shots early on, so our defense and our ability to block shots and force turnovers kept us in the ballgame."

The buzz about Minnesota during the Big Ten's media day last month focused on their its defense and the damage that the Gophers can potentially do with it this season.

"It goes back to pedigree," said Big Ten Network analyst and former pro Jim Jackson. "Tubby is the type of coach that's gonna go get the kind of guys he wants, recruit the kind of players that are smart, that understand the game, that can shoot the ball and play aggressive defense."

The Golden Eagles, like some of the team's opponents last season, were victims of Minnesota's greatest asset: its defensive versatility.

Damian Johnson, a 6-7 forward who was a member of last season's All-Big Ten defensive team, returns. Against the Golden Eagles, Johnson, who was hampered by a broken hand during last year's nonconference schedule, had five blocks.

While potential defensive standouts Royce White and Trevor Mbakwe are sidelined indefinitely, Rodney Williams Jr., a 6-7 freshman forward, continues to showcase his athleticism on both ends of the floor. Williams, from Cooper High School, recorded a pair of swats against the Golden Eagles with uncanny leaping ability and timing.

Paul Carter was the team's top rebounder last season, but following a year that was interrupted by an ankle injury, he looks more comfortable in the starting rotation.

A pair of 6-11 post players in Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III and one of the league's top perimeter defenders, Al Nolen, help Minnesota's cause, too.

"I feel like a lot of new guys [from last year] probably understand the defense better this year," Carter said. "And we understand the urgency that we need to have. Last year, we came out in games and didn't turn it on until the second half. So we understand if we get on them early, it'll make the game a lot easier."

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