2009-2010 MN Gophers Basketball Schedule
Tubby Smith's Golden Gophers Preseason Top 25 Team
Nov 8, 2009
Tubby Smith’s 2009-2010 Minnesota Gophers Men’s Basketball team will officially begin their season this Friday, November 13th with a game versus Tennessee Tech at Williams arena. The Golden Gophers have already played one exhibition game, beating Minnesota/Duluth 114-47 on Thursday, and will play another against MN State/Moorhead on Monday, Nov. 9.
Minnesota starts the season balancing the positive news of a pre-season top 25 ranking (anywhere from 18 to 25, depending on the source/poll), with the less-than-encouraging fact that 3 players are now sitting out in various states of trouble. That’s 21 percent of the team.
Despite the problems, there is much for fans to feel confident about. The Gophers return the majority of last season’s 22-11 team, having only lost one starter (Jamal Abu-Shamala) to graduation. The terms being used to describe the Gophers in the national press: Balance and Depth. Coach Tubby Smith could field two complete starting lineups this season (pending the reinstatement of at least two of the three decommissioned players, which should happen soon).
Centering around big men Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III, both sophomores, and led by guards Al Nolen (Jr.) and speed demon Lawrence Westbrook (Sr.) Minnesota looks to take a shot at a tough Big Ten and go deeper into than NCAA tourney than their one-and-out loss to Texas in last March.
Players to watch (besides those mentioned) are Seniors Damian Johnson, an all-around player, long shooters Blake Hoffarber and Devoe Joseph, and a duo of recruits: JuCo transfer Trevor Mbakwe & 2009's Mr. Basketball Minnesota, Royce White.
Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 Men’s Basketball Schedule
(Home Games in Bold Caps/TV where scheduled/all times Central)
- Fri Nov 13 TENNESSEE TECH 7pm bigtennetwork.com
- Mon Nov 16 STEPHEN F AUSTIN 7pm bigtennetwork.com
- Thu Nov 19 UTAH VALLEY 7pm Big10Net
- Thu Nov 26 Butler (76 Classic) 730 pm ESPN2
- Fri Nov 27 UCLA/Portland (76 Classic) 730 pm ESPNU
- Sun Nov 29 TBD (76 Classic) TBD TBD
- Wed Dec 2 @Miami 615pm ESPNU
- Sat Dec 5 BROWN 230pm bigtennetwork.com
- Tue Dec 8 MORGAN STATE 6pm ESPNU
- Sat Dec 12 ST. JOSEPHS 3pm Big10Net
- Tue Dec 15 NO. ILLINOIS 7pm Big10Net
- Wed Dec 23 SO.DAKOTA ST. 6pm Big10Net
- Tue Dec 29 PENN STATE 8pm ESPN2
- Sat Jan 2 @Iowa 3pm Big10Net
- Tue Jan 5 @Purdue 6pm ESPN
- Sat Jan 9 OHIO STATE 230pm Big10Net
- Wed Jan 13 @Mich State 530pmBig10Net
- Sun Jan 17 @Indiana 1/3pm Big10Net
- Sat Jan 23 MICH STATE 11am CBS
- Tue Jan 26 NORTHWESTERN 8pm Big 10Net
- Sun Jan 31 @ Ohio State 12pm CBS
- Sat Feb 6 @ Penn State 1 pm Big10Net
- Thu Feb 11 MICHIGAN 6pm ESPN
- Sun Feb 14 @Northwestern 4pm Big10Net
- Thu Feb 18 WISCONSIN 8pm ESPN
- Sat Feb 20 INDIANA TBD TBD
- Wed Feb 24 PURDUE 730pm Big10Net
- Sat Feb 27 @Illinois TBD TBD
- Tue Mar 2 @Michigan TBD TBD
- Sun Mar 7 IOWA 5pm Big10Net
Follow all Minnesota Gophers Sports at gophersports.com, the source of much of the information presented here.
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