SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — While Tubby Smith talked about the Gophers' 72-67 victory over No. 8 North Carolina Friday on the radio, one disheartened Tar Heels fan in the front row made his pitch.
"Come to Carolina, Tubby. C'mon. We wanted you before," he said.
The Gophers' success has made the college basketball world pay attention. They can win the Puerto Rico Tip-off championship with a victory over West Virginia, a Final Four squad last season, on Sunday.
North Carolina coach Roy Williams offered common kudos after Friday's game. But when he got up from the podium, he emphasized the sincerity of his praise for the Gophers.
"They made the NCAA tournament last year. They had a great run," Williams said. "They're a good basketball team. And they guarded us and were a lot more aggressive than we were."
West Virginia's Bob Huggins said he watched last week's Siena-Gophers matchup. His verdict? The Gophers are legit.
"I like them," Huggins said. "They're athletic. ... Tubby's just got a bunch of guys. They always guard. They don't beat themselves."
Beginning with a run to the Big Ten tournament final in March through Friday's signature win, Smith has put the Gophers on a national platform not achieved by the program since the late '90s.