Sampson impressed by new-look Gophers

Even though the Gophers men's basketball team lost to Indiana 65-60 on Thursday, they really impressed Hoosiers coach Kelvin Sampson, who ranked counterpart Tubby Smith's team as one of the best Indiana has faced this season.

"We have played Michigan, Illinois, Iowa -- and Minnesota is as good, outside of Xavier. Xavier's the best team we played," Sampson said. "... Tubby's done a tremendous job with this group, and he has them playing the right way.

"Their pressure, their press really bothered us. That's the first team all year that has pressed us -- especially with the kind of quickness they have in the backcourt with [Dan] Coleman and the point of their press with [Al] Nolen and [Lawrence] Westbrook, they cause problems.

"Every time [Lawrence] McKenzie] lines up to shoot you think it's going in. [McKenzie played two years for Sampson at Oklahoma.] [Spencer] Tollackson is a kid that's really improved for them. He's a lot better. He's gotten good around that basket, big and strong. He didn't make his free throws [against Indiana he was 0-for-7]."

Sampson thought the Gophers' guard play was outstanding.

"I think Tubby would tell you their guards were not as good [against us] as they have been," Sampson said. "But you have two sets of guards out there that are really going at each other. They were better than us when we were guarding them, Minnesota has a good team."

One reason the Gophers might have lost the Indiana game is that freshman Blake Hoffarber took only three three-point shots, making two of them. For the Gophers to beat Michigan State today, the freshman from Hopkins will have to take more shots because of his great accuracy from that range.

McKenzie said he is not happy with moral victories, even though the Gophers had pressed Michigan State and Indiana before losing in the final moments.

"I think it's time for us to stop being happy with being in these types of games, and coming down to the wire, and be able to go get one," McKenzie said. "That's what we've got to think about. Right now, I don't believe in moral victories. They don't count on the win chart. ... We've got to work hard. We can't keep letting these wins just slip away.

"I think this is a good team that we have here ... this is a team that can beat these types of teams. So, I just believe that we've got to put this one behind us, take what we can out of this, and then go on to the next game and not settle for another moral victory."

Well, if they play their game today, the Gophers have a good chance to beat Michigan State.

Twins General Manager Bill Smith, in announcing the signing of first baseman Justin Morneau to a one-year contract for $7.4 million, said: "A year ago, we offered Morneau every nickel of the same multiyear contract that we gave Joe Mauer, and his agent turned it down."

Isaiah Dahlman, the highly recruited player from Braham, Minn., is seeing only limited action with Michigan State as a sophomore. He has played in 10 of the team's 17 games, averaging 3.5 minutes and 1.1 point per game.

The sale of Gophers public season men's basketball tickets is up from 8,000 last year to 9,200 this year, while student season tickets are up 300 from 1,200 last year. Attendance is up about 1,500 per game from last year. Obstructed seats are the only ones available for every remaining game but Michigan. ... Meanwhile, the price of football tickets for the 2008 season will be unchanged from 2007 -- $250.

Visiting the U this weekend were a number of highly recruited football players, including: defensive end Tracy Robertson of Houston; Deleon Eskridge, a running back from San Mateo, Calif.; and East Mississippi Community College defensive tackle Tim McGee. Also visiting will be two junior college players who might enroll in school in May: safety Simoni Laurence; and defensive end Cedric McKinley.

Four assistant coaches with the Gophers visited in the home of Texarkana, Texas, running back LaMichael James last week, trying to sell him on Minnesota. But the 5-9, 180-pound prospect committed to Oregon. The Gophers have 26 players committed, and if they sign on Feb. 6, this will be the best recruiting class, on paper, in some time.

Walt Jocketty, member of the great Jocketty family who did well in Minneapolis high school athletics, was general manager for two St. Louis Cardinals World Series clubs. He has been named a special adviser to Reds owner Bob Castellini.

Former Gophers hockey player Jordan Leopold missed his last game due to illness, but nonetheless has two goals and two assists and is a plus-4 in his past nine games for the Colorado Avalanche. ... Former Gopher Phil Kessel has 11 goals and 11 assists and 16 penalty minutes for the Boston Bruins. ... Ex-Gophers defenseman Paul Martin is first among New Jersey Devils defensemen in scoring with three goals and 13 assists. For the Phoenix Coyotes, former Gopher Keith Ballard has four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 45 games while former Breck standout Peter Mueller has 11 goals and 16 assists in 46 games. In 27 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, former Gopher John Pohl has one goal and four assists.

The Twins have promoted Mike Herman to director of baseball communications. ... The Gophers men's swimming and diving team moved up to No. 9 in the country after defeating Hawaii last week.