We have a 9-1 record with a great chance at 12-1 before playing the Big 10 season. We are playing defense at a good level and sharing the basketball so well.. So much improved over last year. Dupree and Nate are playing with so much more confidence. Adding Amir, Reggie, Akeem and Eric have made such a huge difference in this team.. I think Richard Pitino has improved as a young coach, as well. Better shooting in the last 2 games. Even Bakary had a good game off the bench last night... Lots of good things..
What tempers that to being a bit more sober, IMO, is that we have all of our wins against opponents that we were superior or maybe just a bit better. The Texas-Arlington win is looking real good right now..The other thought is that we have had nothing but home games except the one loss at Florida State.. Even the game in South Dakota was a decidedly favorable venue for the Gophers, in geography. We will have to see how our guys do, on the road, before I feel we can talk about our accomplishments.. That said, I love the direction of the team, right now, for every reason.
I believe we have to think of this team's success as a process. We have the perfect schedule to get our young guys and new players to gel together. Playing with lots of confidence. Guys starting to understand their roles and knowing where our shots can come in our offense. .. WE ARE GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF EXPOSURE AND DIFFICULTY, AFTER THE NEW YEAR.. Michigan State will be no picnic at the Barn and then we have the next 4 of 5 Big Ten games on the road. We have Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan State(2nd time), and Penn State as road games. Then come home to play Wisconsin. Not easy. It will be a test of inner strength and confidence to win road games then muster the energy to play our archrival at home.. If we were to lose some of those games, we will find out the strength of team leadership in coming back off those losses. I am a firm believer that character is REVEALED in tough times.
What will it take to beat the Big Ten teams like we did last night?? Guys have to be confident that what got them to this record up to this point, will work in all games. We are who we are, and that is a good thing. When the struggles of playing better opponents become reality, Pitino has to get the guys to believe that they cant play any other way than they did in the early season. No time to "freak out" and play differently when the quality of opponent gets better.. Disciplined teams stay in the moment and are supremely confident in what they do, as good enough to beat anyone.... THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE GROWTH OF THIS TEAM, IMO.. We still have 3 opponents in preconference that we cannot afford to take lightly but I am liking that we are IN THE PROCESS of becoming a very good team.
What tempers that to being a bit more sober, IMO, is that we have all of our wins against opponents that we were superior or maybe just a bit better. The Texas-Arlington win is looking real good right now..The other thought is that we have had nothing but home games except the one loss at Florida State.. Even the game in South Dakota was a decidedly favorable venue for the Gophers, in geography. We will have to see how our guys do, on the road, before I feel we can talk about our accomplishments.. That said, I love the direction of the team, right now, for every reason.
I believe we have to think of this team's success as a process. We have the perfect schedule to get our young guys and new players to gel together. Playing with lots of confidence. Guys starting to understand their roles and knowing where our shots can come in our offense. .. WE ARE GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF EXPOSURE AND DIFFICULTY, AFTER THE NEW YEAR.. Michigan State will be no picnic at the Barn and then we have the next 4 of 5 Big Ten games on the road. We have Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan State(2nd time), and Penn State as road games. Then come home to play Wisconsin. Not easy. It will be a test of inner strength and confidence to win road games then muster the energy to play our archrival at home.. If we were to lose some of those games, we will find out the strength of team leadership in coming back off those losses. I am a firm believer that character is REVEALED in tough times.
What will it take to beat the Big Ten teams like we did last night?? Guys have to be confident that what got them to this record up to this point, will work in all games. We are who we are, and that is a good thing. When the struggles of playing better opponents become reality, Pitino has to get the guys to believe that they cant play any other way than they did in the early season. No time to "freak out" and play differently when the quality of opponent gets better.. Disciplined teams stay in the moment and are supremely confident in what they do, as good enough to beat anyone.... THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE GROWTH OF THIS TEAM, IMO.. We still have 3 opponents in preconference that we cannot afford to take lightly but I am liking that we are IN THE PROCESS of becoming a very good team.
Last edited:
