Overtime: Now things start to get back to normal

Now, things get back to normal, somewhat.

This hasn't been the most normal start to the season for Minnesota, a program that normally eases into the season with a few half-hearted opponents and then embarks on one or two road trips.

This season featured three road excursions, starting with the first game of the year, vs. Louisville in Puerto Rico -- the buildup of which made the whole event feel like much more than one game.

"We played a really, really tough two and a half first weeks," Gophers coach Richard Pitino said. "The travel down to Puerto Rico, that wasn't easy on our team -- stopping in Louisville, going through all those things. That was a lot emotionally on our guys, travel-wise."

Then there was the three-game week at home. Then a lengthy trip to New York for two games in the NIT Season Tipoff. Finally, this year's ACC/ Big Ten challenge, at Wake Forest.

"That's a long trip," Pitino said of the NIT Tipoff. "I mean, we were there from Tuesday to Saturday -- in the hotel; my family; everybody's families.

"It's just too much. I was so excited to not have my kids on this trip and sleep a little bit. It was a lot for everybody. Now we've gotten through that and we can go back home."

QUOTEABLE

Carlos Morris, on playing the power forward for the first time, in a four-guard lineup when Minnesota adjusted to Wake Forest's small look: "I just kind of felt out of place a little bit but I just had to do whatever coach Pitino told me to do."
Said Pitino: I didn't enjoy that lineup. I'm looking at it going what am I doing."

Andre Hollins, on what the team took away from three games on the road: "I think we just learned mental toughness, that we have to bring our own energy. I think that was one of the things that held us back last year -- our road losses. We let a few slip away and those games where, I don't want to say we were better but we had a good game plan and we thought we should have won the game. We just didn't execute. So I think we're really learning how to execute and take teams out."

Pitino, on holding Wake Forest Devin Thomas to four field goal attempts (and four points): "We wanted to do a lot of things -- trap him, dig hard. We knew he's a really good player and a main focal point of their team. So we talked a lot about taking him out of the game offensively, swarming him every time he touched the ball and I thought our guys did a great job of that."

TWEETED

"If this team can put together a complete game, watch out." -- @FromTheBarn