Gopher Quickies

Sorry for the lack of posting, I know many of you rely on GN for the highest quality Gopher coverage on this world wide internet. I feel like link dumping...

** McKenzie and Coleman earned post season awards. I should use the word awards loosely. With 11 teams earning third team (McKenzie) and honorable mention (Coleman) is nice but it isn't exactly an exclusive club considering nearly half of the league's starters were named to one of the post season teams. I'm a little disappointed that Nolen didn't sneak into the All Freshman team or All Defensive. I understand why when looking at the names on the list, but I thought he had a chance.

** Pardon my Aaron Gleeman moment but one of GN's fine authors accurately predicted that Wisconsin would finish as Big Ten Champs! Anybody else call the Badgers as champs? Now I also called Michigan State would prevail in the Big Ten Tourney so we'll see just how brilliant I am.

**Big Ten Awards - DJ White was Player of the Year, Matt Painter was Coach of the Year and Eric Gordon was Newcomer of the Year.

** Current Freshman are on pace to be in the Gopher record books (pdf link). Al Nolen and Blake Hoffarber are "on pace" to finish their careers at the top of a couple Gopher records. "On pace" is kinda dangerous. Injuries or more talented players could come in to steal minutes. But on the flip side one could expect that as they get older they will earn more minutes which should in theory give them greater numbers when all is said and done. So this is pure speculation but based on their freshman numbers here is what we can expect from Nolen and the Hoff.

Hoffarber

• 3 pnt FGs made single season - made 61 this season which is good for 6th best single season tied with Sam Jacobson.
• 3 pnt FTs made career - on pace for 244 total over his 4 years. Gopher record is 191 held by Michael Bauer. This record should come down.
• Career points - on pace for 996 which means Hoffarber has a shot at the 1,000 point club.

Nolen

• Steals single season - 58 steals as a freshman ties him with Vincent Grier for 8th on the single season list.
• Steals career - on pace for 232. The Gopher record is 215 held by Melvin Newbern. Chances are good for Nolen assuming he stays healthy and gets plenty of minutes in his next three seasons.
• Assists career - on pace for 396. Ariel McDonald holds the record with 547. Unless Nolen's minutes greatly increase and he gets used to finding Sampson, Hoffarber and Joseph I don't see this record coming down. But he is on pace to finish 3rd all time which isn't too shabby.
  

** Hoosier Report gives some good facts about the Big Ten Tournament and BTT history.

** I didn't take the time to recap our 19th consecutive loss to the Illini, but PJS as usual gives analysis that ranks among the top 2 or 3 Gopher bloggers out there. He gives his thoughts on the best gopher starting lineup. I would go with

PG -Nolen (I can be talked into Westbrook)
SG - McKenzie
SF - Johnson
PF - Coleman
C - Tollackson
Bench (in order) - Hoffarber
Bench - Westbrook
Bench - Williams
nobody else in a perfect world

That is all I have for now. Minnesota takes on Northwestern on Thursday afternoon. I challenge Lake the Posts to a bet on this one! After NU upset the Gophers in 2003 they are 1-1 all time when facing the Wildcats in the BTT. This one is huge!