5ive Questions: 30 years ago, Gophers upset Tar Heels in L.A.

San Juan, Puerto Rico- Trent Tucker remembers the why as much as the how.

Before his highly touted Gophers team faced sixth-ranked North Carolina Dec. 30, 1980, at the Winston Tire Classic in Los Angeles, it refused to get caught up in the hype.

Sure, the Tar Heels had six former McDonald's All-America prep stars on a squad that reached the Final Four that season. But Tucker and his teammates, part of the nation's top-ranked recruiting class, didn't care.

After controlling the tempo early, the Gophers pulled off a 76-60 victory over North Carolina, the program's only win over the Tar Heels in four matchups.

Minnesota (3-0) is hoping for a similar outcome Friday night in the semifinals of the Puerto Rico Tipoff, where they will play the No. 8 Tar Heels (2-0), who also have a roster full of former high school All-America players, including Harrison Barnes, who made the Associated Press All-America first team before he played his first collegiate game.

Tucker said Minnesota's toughest battle might begin before the game starts.

Tucker said the Gophers will also have a better chance to pull off the upset because they're facing the Tar Heels on a neutral court, a factor his team took advantage of 30 years ago.

After the Gophers topped Western Kentucky in a 95-77 victory Thursday, Tubby Smith tried to minimize the significance of Friday's matchup, calling it "another game."

Smith doesn't want his players to get so excited that they forget about the task. That's why he made a statement like that with his players seated next to him.

But I don't believe it. While I agree with Smith that a win or a loss "won't make or break our season," it's still a significant endeavor.

The Gophers will make a splash on the national scene with a win over the Tar Heels. They can add a huge quality win to their NCAA tourney resume. Their NBA prospects can prove themselves against a team with at least two lottery picks. And if these guys beat North Carolina and win the title, they'll leave San Juan with a high level of confidence to take into the Big Ten season.

For Smith, it's an "I told you so" moment. When he left Kentucky, many wondered if he would ever assemble a Minnesota team built for an NCAA tournament run, considering the program's recent history.

Smith has been building this thing for three-plus years, making incremental strides each season. This could be the stage where he showcases the Gophers program and all of the work he's put into rebuilding it.

Plus, there's the Roy Williams factor. Smith is 1-3 against Williams at North Carolina. Think Smith is motivated?

So a loss won't ruin the Gophers. But there are huge implications if they win.

What's the ceiling for the Trevor Mbakwe/Ralph Sampson III frontcourt?

Before Thursday's game, I asked a source close to the team if Mbakwe would remain in the starting rotation. "I'm not sure," he said.

And an improved Sampson looked the part of an NBA big man when he scored 22 points and blocked seven shots against Western Kentucky.

We'll know more about Sampson and Mbakwe after Friday's game. They've faced three undersized teams so far. But North Carolina can match Minnesota's length. And the Tar Heels have a ton of talent.

But I think Mbakwe and Sampson will anchor this team going forward. And they're arguably the best frontcourt in the Big Ten right now.

Mbakwe said he developed chemistry with Sampson and Colton Iverson when he sat out last season.

In many ways, we're seeing what coaches and players saw in practice last year.

Can I watch this game on TV?

Yes. The matchup will air on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. central time Friday night.

Can the Gophers win?

Yes, they can.

This is the third game of the year for a team led by underclassmen. Yes, they're very good underclassmen. But they don't have Minnesota's chemistry and experience.

For everything the Tar Heels lack in chemistry, they make up for with their talent. John Henson is lengthy and athletic. Tyler Zeller is a stud big man, too. Barnes is so mature. The game comes easy to him.

So make no mistake. This is a team that could beat most squads by double digits.

But I saw something interesting in their game Thursday.

Hofstra went into a zone early in the first half, after it was clear that the team had no chance of matching up with the Tar Heels.

They held their hands out. They swatted at passes. They yelled.

Hofstra doesn't have the length and athleticism to make the zone work, but the Gophers do.

I think we'll see a lot of zone Friday night. The Gophers can't pull off the upset without tenacious defense. That's the only way to stop North Carolina's early runs. And a zone might be their best/only shot.

If they can find some consistency on offense, the Gophers can pull off the upset.

Can the Gophers win if they play the way they did Thursday?

Now that's another story. The Gophers will need Thursday's production from Sampson, Mbakwe and Rodney Williams (17 points) and some.

The Gophers made one field goal during an eight-minute stretch in the first half. Smith played one reserve (Austin Hollins, 11 minutes) more than eight minutes. Can the starters go 35 minutes against North Carolina if they have to? Will the freshmen crumble on a big stage?

I believe the Gophers will play well Friday night. But their offensive lapses will hurt them. They won't be able to recover from misfires, turnovers and scoring droughts against a program like North Carolina. So they have to avoid them.

But I think the Tar Heels will struggle against Minnesota's length. And this is an experienced team that's playing with more heart than we've ever seen under Smith. And I think the Gophers will leave everything on the floor.

Reminds me of Louisville two years ago. Louisville had NBA guys and a prestigious coach. The Cardinals earned a No. 1 seed in that year's NCAA tournament. But they weren't at that level when they played the Gophers. They still had a lot of kinks to work out. It was all about the timing.

And I believe the Gophers are facing the Tar Heels at the perfect time.

-Sampson, Mbakwe and Williams can all boost their NBA hopes Friday. Most of the NBA's teams are represented here.

Here's what one scout told me about the Gophers trio:

On Sampson: "I hear he's improving. ... And he's a big man. [That will] get him in the door."

On Mbakwe: "He's strong and he has a lot of length."