Thursday (Gophers vs. Wolves -- which team is more frustrating?) edition: Wha' Happened?

If you have watched Minnesota basketball lately, there is a chance you have thrown your remote control or punched a tasteful throw pillow on your couch.

January 24, 2013 at 5:45PM
Tubby Smith gets livid about his team's play in the first half .
Tubby Smith gets livid about his team's play in the first half . (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

If you have watched Minnesota basketball lately, there is a chance you have thrown your remote control or punched a tasteful throw pillow on your couch.

Timberwolves? Gophers? Take your pick.

The question before you is this: Which of the two teams is more frustrating?

Is it the Timberwolves, who had such high hopes this season but have been derailed largely by forces beyond their control -- injuries to players, illness to head coach Rick Adelman's wife? Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Chase Budinger, Brandon Roy, Nikola Pekovic, Alexey Shved and Josh Howard ... all of them have either been injured or are injured. They just don't have the horses right now. Rubio has been slow to return to form. Love, when he played, wasn't himself. Everything we thought was good about this team -- emerging young talent, veteran depth -- has been a flop.

Or is it the Gophers, who are in the midst of a maddening three-game losing streak after getting fans' hopes sky-high as a team with the chops to make a deep NCAA tournament run? Losses at Indiana and at home to Michigan were forgivable, though both opponents scored in the 80s and exposed some fundamental flaws with the squad. The loss last night to Northwestern? That was a legitimate head-scratcher and the kind of game that can lead to a deeper downward spiral.

Your thoughts, please, in the comments.

about the writer

about the writer

Michael Rand

Columnist / Reporter

Michael Rand is the Minnesota Star Tribune's Digital Sports Senior Writer and host/creator of the Daily Delivery podcast. In 25 years covering Minnesota sports at the Minnesota Star Tribune, he has seen just about everything (except, of course, a Vikings Super Bowl).

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