Some of coach Tubby Smith's first words in the post-game presser were: "Overall, there's a lot of things we need to work on."
But he said those words -- ie., he didn't yell those words -- and inferred there are a lot of positives to draw from the Gophers' 71-58 win over Bemidji State in their first exhibition game of the season. Of course, clearly there were negatives as well.
- Let's go over some of both:
The good:
Andre Hollins had a mostly positive performance Tuesday. He had eight assists -- six in the first half -- and showed intelligence in finding the open man and making good passes. Smith said he was pleased overall but would like to see him push the ball more in transition. - Trevor Mbakwe looked as good as advertised: 8-for-9 from the field, 17 points, 11 rebounds, a smattering of dunks, and he scored when the team needed it.
- Rodney Williams and Ralph Sampson III did their parts. Sampson was 1-for-4 from the charity stripe and missed some shots, but ended with 15 points. Williams didn't shoot much, but went 6-for-6 from the line.
- The team was active on the boards and showed flashes of intensity. Stretch those flashes for more than a couple minutes at a time and the team could have the kind of high-octane offense Smith envisions.
The bad:
- Bemidji State unloaded 10 three-pointers, unveiling a defensive shortcoming for the Gophers, who just watched them fall.
- The Gophers' second unit struggled to score or defend very well and at times didn't seem on the same page. In the second team's first stint, Bemidji State -- which started out down 8-0 -- went on a run to come within two points.
- Play generally dropped off in the second half. The Gophers shot 53.6 percent in the first and slumped to 45.2 in the second.
The ugly:
Collectively, the Gophers ...
went 12-for-19 from the free throw line -- 6-for-13 without Williams' stellar performance. - made just 1 of 7 three-point attempts.
- had 10 turnovers in the first half.
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
Election
In heated western Minn. GOP congressional primary, outsiders challenging incumbent
U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach has a solidly conservative voting record. But Steve Boyd, a Christian conservative who has never held public office, is gaining traction as an outsider.
Sports
Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame: A class-by-class list of all members
Who's in the Star Tribune Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame? From Bernie Bierman to the latest class, here's the list:
Sports
This retired journalist changed professional wrestling from Mankato
Norm Kietzer was a pioneer in professional wrestling journalism for 40 years.
High Schools
All-Metro Sports Awards: Here are the 2023 winners
The Star Tribune recognized the best of metro area high school athletes with its sixth annual All-Metro Sports Awards. Here are the 2023 winners, who were honored Wednesday night at Target Center.