aMAILia BAG: Gophers' offensive adjustments? Is Mbakwe hurt? Does Tubby keep his job?

aMAILia BAG is a weekly installment on this blog where you send me questions (to @AmeliaRayno on Twitter or amelia.rayno@startribune.com) and I answer them here. Questions below are in bold, while my responses are in regular type.

What exactly were the "offensive adjustments" the Gophers supposedly made recently? #aMAILiaBAG

@djbellefy

Ah, yes – totally fair question considering how egregious the Gophers' offense looked against Iowa. They went back to playing timidly – standing around in the half-court while Andre Hollins helplessly dribbles around, gets double-teamed and hopes that one of the defenders will fall on his face so he can dish it somewhere. It seems like often the other four are so "in" the game, that they have a hard time seeing the forest for the trees. They're watching the action instead of getting involved.

It's hard to take anything substantial from a one-game sample (that's pretty obvious after Sunday), but Minnesota really did look different against Nebraska. It wasn't that the things they were doing were working better (as they should against a team like Nebraska), it's that they were doing them at all. The biggest thing was just the constant screening the Gophers were doing, bigs for guards, guards for bigs. That created a lot more space for the team to work and also, just gave them more movement and possibilities. If you screen and move around that much you will ACCIDENTALLY get some chances. But against Iowa, that efficiency disappeared.

Why? Darned if I know. I think part of it is that the Gophers thought they had it down after the Nebraska game, only to each wait for someone else to make something happen against Iowa. The idea of stripping the offense of its frills and getting the basics down really well only works if everyone works on it constantly. In other words, if guys aren't explicitly focusing on "screen, cut; screen, cut," it goes from a basic offense to no offense. If coach Tubby Smith can't get the players to buy into that, then there is a need for more plays that actively involve a large number of guys to force them to move that way.

Is Trevor's wrist hurting him? He doesn't seem to be able to hold on to the ball?

Both Smith and Mbakwe are downplaying the injury (which is a sprain in his right wrist and a bone bruise), but it's obviously still sore, and the center is icing it after games. That might be part of it right now. Another wrinkle is that he's just been using one hand a lot lately, a habit of his that is probably exaggerated a little with the sore hand.

Said Smith: "He used one hand a lot, and that's just a tendency he has, and he's done that in the past, but coming off the knee surgery, I think he tried to use the other arm for leverage a lot … but he can play pretty good playing that way."

Could tubby start eliason and bring mbakwe off the bench? That may be a reach, but it could be an option.

@smanwarren

Reach. I toyed with this idea briefly when Smith seemed stuck to his hockey line rotations and that group was struggling to be productive, but the reality is – the only reasons we were seeing Mbakwe do anything in reserve earlier in the season was because

b) he was also playing stints with the starters

Were the Gophers to do that now, what would stop teams from just throwing two guys on Mbakwe at all times? Not only does it not increase the productivity of the bench, but it also almost completely neutralizes Mbakwe.

An interesting spontaneous thought, but it just wouldn't work.

Say we get to the tournament, but lose in the 1st round. Does Tubby keep his job?
#aMAILiaBAG

@shea_carr

#aMAILiaBAG looking way ahead here... Any chance either one of the Hollins' leaves early to go pro? Just curious

@kjanikula

Way ahead – I don't think you're in any danger of losing either of them after this season, I'll just tell you that much.

Everyone talks about how strong Trevor Mbakwe is, why doesn't he post up more? #aMAILiaBAG

@GGudmestad

After few weeks off, back with hopefully a good question. What is wrong with the bench, Playing time, confidence? #aMAILiaBAG

@ALuvsTwins

I wrote about this a little yesterday, but to give you a short answer, I think the answer is some of both. Smith is struggling to find the right way to use his bench, to get the most out of them. The important thing is that he's proven willing to search for solutions rather than just throwing out the same old thing – but it's clearly still a process. The one bright spot of the "hockey" line changes Smith was doing perpetually up until very recently is that such a subbing pattern forced the bench to work, and try to score. What happens when you sub in one or a couple at a time and then at the end of the day you realize NO reserve has even attempted a shot?? Well, that means it's time to go back to the drawing board.

How far do you think the #Gophers can go in the NCAA Tourney? Assuming they play their best bball come that time #aMAILiaBAG

@Tyler_Morrison9

How can the #Gophers get Rodney Williams to be more productive in conference games? #aMAILiaBAG

@synde043

I think there needs to be a bigger emphasis on actually running plays for him – if you're going to do that for one player, you do it for your incredible athlete. We saw some of that in the Nebraska game, and he responded impressively (it might have also had something to do with the Huskers lack of inside presence). And in general, if the Gophers are getting more movement, better spacing (see above), he'll be able to get open more often. And lastly, with Williams, a lot of it is about confidence. If he gets a good dunk or two early on – that can go a long way.

What is your most hated team in the big ten? #aMAILiaBAG

@infrared14

When are the #gophers going to figure out a zone #aMAILiaBAG

@akonz5

Your guess is as good as mine.

Besides committing fewer turnovers, what do the #Gophers need to do to beat Michigan State? #aMAILiaBAG

@bs_wayne

2- More movement (see above) in the half court

3- Get some solid production out of Rodney Williams

4- Wake up the bench

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