Liam Robbins News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/liam-robbins/ Minnesota sports, but different Thu, 01 Jul 2021 19:33:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Liam Robbins News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/liam-robbins/ 32 32 Liam Robbins Has Entered the Transfer Portal https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/liam-robbins-has-entered-the-transfer-portal-minnesota-gophers/ Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:34:36 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=34308

Another Minnesota Gopher men’s basketball player has entered the NCAA transfer portal and this one could hurt. Liam Robbins transferred from Drake to Minnesota last offseason to join his uncle, and Minnesota assistant head coach, Ed Conroy. Now, after a successful 2020-21 power-5 debut, the 7-footer is hitting the transfer portal again.

In his one season with Minnesota, the Drake transfer put up very nice numbers, averaging 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds. His 2.7 blocks per game led the Big Ten.

When Liam Robbins hit the transfer portal this morning, he become the 9th Gopher to enter since last season started. At this point, you’ll find it much easier to list those who haven’t entered (Gach, Ihnen and Johnson) than those who have. But just in case you forgot, the names in the portal now include: Marcus Carr, Jamal Mashburn Jr, Gabe Kalscheur, Jarvis Omersa, Tre Williams, Sam Freeman, Liam Robbins, David Mutaf and Martice Mitchell.

The Minnesota roster currently has just 6 players committed to playing men’s basketball next season. The three remaining from last year’s roster are set to be joined by three transfer commitments, Jamison Battle, EJ Stephens and Luke Loewe.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:00 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Ed Conroy, Liam Robbins Uncle, Wants to Remain on Gopher Coaching Staff https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/ed-conroy-liam-robbins-uncle-wants-to-remain-on-gopher-coaching-staff/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/ed-conroy-liam-robbins-uncle-wants-to-remain-on-gopher-coaching-staff/#respond Tue, 16 Mar 2021 20:42:03 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=33872

Typing words about the state of flux within the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball program seems monotonous at this point. I guess that’s what happens when you write most of the blogs on your own site. But this piece of news is a bit different. Someone wants to stay here.

According to Darren Wolfson (Monday’s episode of The Scoop podcast), assistant head coach Ed Conroy wants to remain at the University of Minnesota and coach on the bench of the next head coach, whoever that may be. As some may know, Conroy is the uncle of Liam Robbins and supposedly the reason why Liam is here. So this is good news for anyone who wants to see Robbins in maroon and gold next season.

I’ve already written blogs about the other two bullet points in this tweet and in this clip. If the Gophers want to pay for Eric Musselman (Arkansas), they can get him. At the least, he’d love to listen to their offer. It’s not just Doogie saying this, others say the same. Not everyone agrees with why Muss would listen to Minnesota offers but that’s for another blog.

I’m due for a “Part III” for Minnesota head coaching options, but most of the candidates that have been discussed or have any smoke burning from their camp, were written about HERE, HERE and HERE.

Back to Conroy/Robbins

The big breaking news to take from this clip, is Ed Conroy’s desire to remain on the Minnesota bench, no matter the next head coach. Conroy is a well-respected assistant coach and he’s been doing it for a long time. He’s also been on the Gopher staff for the last four seasons. You’d think he’d be a great guy to have around for a coach trying to settle in for a debut season.

“Ed Conroy, associate head coach for the Gophers, would love to remain on staff. So, that’s Liam Robbins’ uncle. Conroy would like to stay regardless of who the next coach is. He would like to stay here and help out the Gophers.”

Darren Wolfson – The Scoop Podcast (Above)

It’s not all about keeping Liam Robbins… but let’s be real, that certainly makes him worth keeping around on its own.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/ed-conroy-liam-robbins-uncle-wants-to-remain-on-gopher-coaching-staff/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:12 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball #23 Minnesota MBB Derails Undefeated #7 Michigan at The Barn https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/23-minnesota-mbb-derails-undefeated-7-michigan-at-the-barn/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/23-minnesota-mbb-derails-undefeated-7-michigan-at-the-barn/#respond Sat, 16 Jan 2021 21:15:19 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32829

The Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s basketball team was happy to hear pregame names called from a familiar voice, out of a familiar speaker at Williams Arena this afternoon, as they took to the raised hardwood vs the undefeated #7 Michigan Wolverines.

Saturday’s game was Minnesota’s 15th of the season and they had yet to lose at home (10-0) and were winless (0-4) on the road. But we’ll worry about those road woes another time because today… we’re celebrating another HUGE home victory!

Michigan Slow Out of Gates

The first half of this contest was all Golden Gophers. The Wolverines struggled from the field early and Minnesota was able to take advantage. Liam Robbins worked for all 6 of his points and 4 of his rebounds.

Michigan’s freshman center, Hunter Dickinson, is a load and he can ball. But, Robbins and the Gophers held him to just 5 points and 2 rebounds in that first 20 minutes.

Brandon Johnson and Eric Curry contributed with their own baskets, while Marcus Carr struggled to find his rhythm again (2/9). The Gopher offense was at its best, however, when Carr was getting to the rim. He did finish the half with 3 assists and 3 rebounds.

When the dust settled on the first half, the Gophers went into the locker room with a 7-point (30-23) lead.

Liam Robbins dominates 2nd Half

On the road, the Minnesota Gophers have come out of halftimes like they napped for the entire 15 minutes. At home, just like today against the Wolverines, they like to pounce on opponents.

The second half on Saturday was driven by the play of Liam Robbins, with Brandon Johnson and Gabe Kalscheur playing more than capable wing men. Liam was completely dominant, adding 16 points (22 total), 4 more (8) rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

After a bit of early foul trouble, Robbins finished the game with just 3 of total. It was his best game of the season… and he’s been really good all year. He had Hunter Dickinson crying on the sideline by the end of the game… or that’s what I saw at least.

Marcus Carr up and down day

Marcus Carr was good today when he was playing good basketball. He took some really stupid shots, but when that man has a desire to get to the rim, there isn’t a better point guard in this country.

And defenses have to commit so much attention to him that there are always teammates open when he has the basketball. This Gopher team has a lot of talent and can really go as far as Marcus Carr takes them.

He doesn’t have to wear the Superman cape this year, however. The smarter he plays, the farther this team will go.

Easier schedule upcoming

Home or away, this was a massive win for the Gophers and one they badly needed. Now, they’ll enter a much easier portion of their schedule and they can feel good about their 11-4 (4-4) record.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/23-minnesota-mbb-derails-undefeated-7-michigan-at-the-barn/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:22 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Gophers Bounce Back Big vs Ohio State; Liam Robbins Goes Off https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-gophers-bounce-back-big-vs-ohio-state-liam-robbins-goes-off/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-gophers-bounce-back-big-vs-ohio-state-liam-robbins-goes-off/#respond Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:44:10 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32555

Coming off a blowout loss in Madison earlier this week, the #21 Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team took to the Williams Arena hardwood on Sunday vs the #25 Ohio State Buckeyes, looking to bounce back and keep their top-25 ranking.

The first half was a back and forth endeavor but Pitino’s Golden Gophers felt in control most of the way. He rode transfers Both Gach and Liam Robbins to a 43-37 halftime lead, while Marcus Carr played offensive decoy.

Runaway 2nd Half

But then the scoreboard light flipped to the 2nd half and the Minnesota Gophers started to run away from the Buckeyes. First, Gabe Kalscheur got hot, which is a scary thought for any Big Ten teams who were watching.

Liam Robbins continued to play his best game of the season, posting his first double-double of his Gopher career. Oh, and Marcus Carr decided to contribute his share of points too.

You can’t be overshadowed by all of your teammates in a game where Andy Kats is posting graphics with you as his 1st Team All Big Ten PG.

The maroon and gold quickly shot out to a 15-20 point lead and never looked back. The Buckeyes were left to watch as five Gophers scored in double-figures, burying them from the back and front court alike.

The Real Story

This is what Minnesota can do every night out if they get better shooting from Gabe Kalscheur and Both Gach. In four Big Ten games entering this one, Gophers wings were shooting under 20 percent from deep and under 30% from the field.

Tonight, Gabe and Both combined to shoot 9/19 from the floor and 5/11 from three. Even with Carr going 3/12, those two allowed Robbins plenty of room down low, where he finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Now What

The Minnesota Gophers went 2-1 on the week vs three ranked opponents. That should push them further up the AP Poll. The NET rankings also release on Monday, for the first time in the 2020-21 season.

The Gophers now have three top-25 matchups remaining in their most difficult seven-game stretch of the year. Two will take place this week and the first is @ Michigan on Wednesday.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-gophers-bounce-back-big-vs-ohio-state-liam-robbins-goes-off/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:24 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball #21 Gophers Stay Hot; Dominate #17 Spartans in Historic Fashion https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/21-minnesota-gophers-stay-hot-dominate-17-michigan-state-spartans-in-historic-fashion/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/21-minnesota-gophers-stay-hot-dominate-17-michigan-state-spartans-in-historic-fashion/#respond Tue, 29 Dec 2020 03:00:27 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32418

The Minnesota Gophers entered Monday night’s game at The Barn vs Michigan State, coming off of their best two performances of 2020. The Spartans, on the other hand, were coming off of two of their worst.

The polls reflected last week’s trends. The Gophers debuted at #21 in the AP Top-25 poll Monday and the Spartans fell to #17. Those trends stayed on course tonight. Richard Pitino’s squad took control early and never let up on the green and white.

The result was tying the biggest margin of victory Minnesota has ever had over Michigan State in men’s basketball (25 points).

The Gophers gave up just 16 first half points to Michigan State and were leading by 20 entering halftime (36-16). It was complete domination. Minnesota wasn’t playing noticeably well. Instead, Michigan State was just playing that poorly.

I’m not sure what is going on with Tom Izzo’s 2020-21 team. For the Gophers, the first half belonged to Liam Robbins, who the Spartans had no answer for down low, and the usual performance from Marcus Carr.

2nd Half

Things didn’t get better for MSU in the 2nd half. Whatever Tom Izzo team walked into Williams Arena tonight, wasn’t #17 in the country. They did not bring it on any level.

In half number two, Richard Pitino fed the Spartans more of what had been working for him in the 1st half. Marcus Carr + Liam Robbins — and it worked to perfection. If you find me a better college point guard in this country than Marcus Carr, then you will be exposing yourself as a fraud.

There is no better point guard in this country than #5 on the Minnesota Gophers. He showed it again tonight, racking up his 19 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Oh, and Carr has yet to turn the ball over more than 4 times in a game so far this season.

Liam Robbins

Liam Robbins continues to improve every time he steps on the floor and you can see his confidence grow each night out. He stayed out of foul trouble in this game and the Spartans smaller interior defenders had absolutely no answer for Robbins in the paint.

No matter what angle or side Liam was shooting from tonight, the ball was going in the basket. He finished with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. He shot 7/11 from the floor and two of those misses were from deep.

Robbins will be a force all season and he’s a massive pickup for Pitino.

Gophers shouldn’t get too high on themselves

The Minnesota Gophers didn’t play poorly Monday night, by any means, but they didn’t play all that well either. Michigan State is now 0-3 in the Big Ten and, according to the game broadcast, tonight is the first time they’ve lost at Williams Arena since 2012.

Wing shooting continued to be a problem for Pitino’s team vs MSU. Gabe Kalscheur and Both Gach combined 1/8 from behind the arc and totalled just 15 points. Both players are crucial to the defense Pitino wants to play so getting them back in rhythm offensively is a big deal.

Next up

The 9-1 Gophers will head to the Kohl Center on Thursday to play against the #6 Wisconsin Badgers, who just lost their first game of conference play tonight vs Maryland.

We’ve discussed Minnesota’s current 7-game gauntlet of a stretch at length recently. They’ve now started that stretch 2-0.

Full Highlights

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/21-minnesota-gophers-stay-hot-dominate-17-michigan-state-spartans-in-historic-fashion/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:27 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball The Good, the Bad and the Sustainability of 2020-21 Gophers MBB https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/the-good-the-bad-and-the-sustainability-of-2020-21-minnesota-gophers-mbb/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/the-good-the-bad-and-the-sustainability-of-2020-21-minnesota-gophers-mbb/#respond Sun, 27 Dec 2020 03:26:54 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32367

Richard Pitino’s 2020-21 Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team is an enigma. Even after two big time victories over top-30 teams, it’s hard to know where they go from here.

It won’t be long before we know a lot more because the most difficult stretch of their Big Ten schedule is only getting started. But… waiting for real-time results sucks and what the am I here for if not to predict the future for our readers?

Speaking of predicting futures, I’ve been pumping Pitino’s Transfer U (2020-21) for months. This is a roster that has talent oozing from the sides like an overstuffed PB&J sandwich.

So now that we’ve seen this Gopher squad in both its best (vs Iowa) and worst (@ Illinois) light, I think it’s time to re-evaluate the expectations for this roster and just what it will take to make another run at the NCAA Tournament.

The Good

Same old Marcus Carr

If we’re going to talk about what is right about this roster, the conversation can’t start without Marcus Carr.

Carr has picked up right where he left off last season. He ranks near the top in just about every conference scoring category and assist category.

He’s the clear leader on this team and the Gophers will need him to put them on their back throughout the season. He’s up for it, though.

Marcus CarrStatB1G Rank
Minutes3251st
Field Goals693rd
FG%.47613th
Free Throws611st
FT%.79215th
AST/GM6.21st
AST%39.71st
PTS/GM24.62nd
Off Win Share1.62nd
Points Produced2131st
sports-reference

On a nightly basis, the Minnesota Gophers will go as Marcus Carr goes. He can win games by himself because he’s that type of player and, because he is a point guard, the ball is always in his hands. At the same time, if he doesn’t have it on any given night… his team probably won’t either.

Luckily, there’s no sign of Marcus slowing down anytime soon and he seems determined to dance in March and get drafted in April. He knows better than anyone, that leading a Gopher run in the former will rocket his stock in the ladder.

Transfer U (especially big men)

Richard Pitino’s experiment with Minnesota Transfer Portal U has been a budding success in 2020-21. The Gophers went out and found 3 of their 5 starters in the transfer portal and all of them have contributed in major ways.

The latest came on Friday night when Brandon Johnson (Western Michigan grad-transfer) went ballistic from beyond the arc, knocking down 8/9 from 3-pt land and single-handedly downing the Iowa Hawkeyes in OT.

Drake transfer Liam Robbins leads the Big Ten in blocks per game and hit the OT 3-pointer that iced the Hawkeyes.

Utah transfer, Both Gach gives Marcus Carr a scoring threat on the wing that he hasn’t had since arriving on campus, even if his start in maroon and gold has been slower than expected.

Avoid Early Disaster

This part of “the good” has been underrated. This is a Minnesota Gophers basketball team that had only one COVID summer to get acquainted with each other. Carr and Kalscheur are the only starters who have played together, prior to this season, and their most important bench player is a freshman, Jamal Mashburn Jr.

Still, the Gophers have started this 8-1 with quality wins over Saint Louis and Iowa. Nobody would have foreseen those victories when this same Minnesota team was struggling to defeat UND and Loyola Marymount a couple of weeks ago, or when they were getting beaten by 30 @ Illinois to start Big Ten play.

The Gophers have 6-straight games coming up on their schedule vs top-25 ranked opponents. If they can win even 2 of them, they’d finish this ridiculous 7-game stretch with a 3-4 record and major schedule relief on the horizon.

DateTeamRank
12/28 – 1/16(6) Top-25 Teams
1/20@ Nebraska
1/23Maryland
1/30@ Purdue
2/4@ Rutgers#11
2/8Nebraska
2/11Purdue
2/14@ Maryland
2/17@ Indiana
2/20@ Illinois#18
2/27Northwestern
3/3@ Penn State
3/6Rutgers#11
ESPN

There really isn’t a cakewalk game on the Big Ten schedule for any team this season because the conference is so stacked. Still, three top-25 teams in 12 games looks a lot easier than seven ranked teams in seven games.

That’s the stretch the Gophers are currently entering game-2 of.

The Bad

Gabe Kalscheur

Luckily, others have helped pick up Gabe Kalscheur’s offensive slack and Richard Pitino continues to give him big minutes. But fuck, Gabe is going to have to hit shots eventually, if he is going to help the Gophers make a run at the postseason.

Kalscheur is shooting under 30% right now from the field and under 20% from beyond the 3-pt line. That hasn’t stopped him from launching them, though. Gabe currently leads the Big Ten in 3-pt attempts…

Either start hitting them or stop shooting. You can’t do both. We’re a quarter of the way through this season. When does this move from a “slump” to Gabe Kalscheur’s new “normal”?

Inconsistent wing play

Ok, we’ve talked enough about #22’s struggles. Everyone who plays wing for the Minnesota Gophers needs to be better. Both Gach has played well enough, as mentioned above, but he’s yet to really put his stamp on a big game like we’ve seen from Robbins and Johnson, his fellow 2020-21 transfers.

Isaiah Ihnen arrived here from Germany, just before his freshman 2019 season got underway. He’s continued to develop and all of the physical tools are there for him to look like a poor-man’s Kevin Durant.

The kid is 7-ft tall and feels more comfortable shooting 3’s off the catch or dribble, than he does going to the rim. Still, he has to understand the size advantage he has at the college level. He has a full foot on some of his defenders. Get a post game. Until then, Ihnen will just be a streaky shooter with a lot of upside.

Sophomore, Tre Williams, was showing a lot of promise early in the season but his minutes have been cut as Big Ten play has been fired up. I’d like to see him get more time on the floor if Gabe can’t turn things around offensively.

Extending our post presence out to the 3-pt line will not win Big Ten games all season. The wing play needs to improve if the Gophers are going to keep winning games.

Sustainability

Yes, winning is sustainable for the Gophers and I only expect them to get better as the year goes on. They should continue gel as a team, both on and off the court, as they get to know each other better.

The wing shooting really can’t get any worse, so if we are beating Iowa right now, how well can the Gophers play when that area improves. Honestly, we have more talent there than anywhere, so I expect improvement sooner rather than later.

I’d be shocked if the Minnesota Gophers MBB team isn’t dancing in March and I’d be even more surprised if they aren’t top-25 on Monday.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/the-good-the-bad-and-the-sustainability-of-2020-21-minnesota-gophers-mbb/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:28 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Brandon Johnson Goes Out-of-Body in OT; Gophers Upset #4 Iowa on Christmas Night https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/brandon-johnson-goes-out-of-body-in-ot-gophers-upset-4-iowa-on-christmas-night/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/brandon-johnson-goes-out-of-body-in-ot-gophers-upset-4-iowa-on-christmas-night/#respond Sat, 26 Dec 2020 04:06:59 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32350

The Minnesota Gophers welcomed the Iowa Hawkeyes into an empty Williams Arena tonight for one of only four college basketball games being played on Christmas Day across the nation. I think Pitino and Co would have happily given up their holiday dinner plans for a top-5 victory.

The Gophers played really well for most of this game and held a lead for almost the entire first half. The second half was a struggle at times and it looked like the Hawkeyes were going to slip away with a W… but then late-game free throws and Marcus Carr’s stones ruined Iowa’s Christmas.

Overtime is Brandon Johnson time

Richard Pitino recruited three transfers from around the country to help add depth and talent to a Gopher basketball team that badly needed both. The quietest of the three was Brandon Johnson, who grad-transferred from Western Michigan with just one year of eligibility left.

He can shoot the three… but that’s not why Pitino recruited him from WM. On Friday night, however, something happened to Johnson from deep. Brandon hit FOUR 3-pointers in a row to start OT, which singlehandedly outscored Iowa 12-5 in the first 3:15 of OT.

In total, Johnson was 8/9 from 3-point-land on Christmas night and scored 26 points in total. That’s three points shy of his career high, which came last year vs Ball State (29). His EIGHT makes from deep is by far the most of his career, which was previously capped at THREE.

Oh… and then 7’1″ center, Liam Robbins, hit the DEEP dagger to finish it. Some nights things just don’t make sense. The Minnesota BTN Twitter account didn’t even know Johnson’s last name.

This is a massive signature win for the Minnesota Gophers and makes them a player in the deepest conference in college basketball. With an 8-1 record and victories over Saint Louis and Iowa in their last two games, the Gophers should definitely be ranked when the Top-25 polls update on Monday.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/brandon-johnson-goes-out-of-body-in-ot-gophers-upset-4-iowa-on-christmas-night/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:29 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball 4 Keys to a Competitive Gopher MBB Season https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/4-keys-to-a-competitive-gopher-mbb-season/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/4-keys-to-a-competitive-gopher-mbb-season/#respond Fri, 18 Dec 2020 16:26:34 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=32183

On paper, the 2020-21 Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team is way more talented than the team we saw in 2019-20. Daniel Oturu was a great college basketball player and his loss will hurt all season. Liam Robbins + Brandon Johnson won’t fill his void.

But the additional talent and depth that this Minnesota team has in the backcourt, compared to last season, is a night and day improvement. Adding Both Gach and Jamal Mashburn Jr has completely changed the outlook of this group and Tre Williams is a completely different player in his sophomore year.

But that’s on paper

But as we learned on Tuesday night in Champagne, basketball isn’t played on paper. The Gophers walked into a pent up orange tornado of basketball rage vs the Fighting Illini earlier this week and I’m hoping it was the punch in the mouth they needed. Welcome to the Big Ten. It’s time to wake up.

They took a phony 6-0 record into that game and got it stuffed right back down their throat by Kofi Cockburn (pronounced like it’s spelled). It was a humbling 92-65 experience and Richard Pitino’s fighting Gophers got back on the plane with fluffy tails between their legs.

Back to the drawing board…

This loss was depressing, embarrassing and sobering… but it wasn’t devastating. Richard’s 2020-21 roster was jumbled together in a COVID hurry. Both Gach didn’t have his waiver approved to play until just weeks before the season.

Throw in a handful of cream puffs early in the schedule, just to build some empty confidence, and a pissed off Fighting Illini team with two NBA lottery picks in its starting-5, for the Big Ten opener. And poof.

It was the perfect brew for a big time Big Ten reality check… and that’s exactly what happened. The Gophers got their clocks cleaned. But, how devastating is this loss, in reality? It’s not.

Nobody picked Minnesota to win earlier this week vs Illinois. As of now, there’s nothing for Richard Pitino to “turnaround” or “get back on track”. At 6-1, his squad is exactly where they should be.

But, if you watched that game (or the highlights above) some things clearly need to change if Minnesota is going to compete in the deepest conference in college basketball. It’s a lot to ask but all four of the improvements below aren’t just “possible”. They’re easily “feasible”.

#1. Wings NEED to be better.

This conversation starts with Gabe Kalscheur.

I’m sick of seeing this dude miss shots. You were specifically brought here to make 3-point shots and you’re shooting 17.2% on the season from deep (29% FG).

I’m sick of waiting for Gabe to get better. You can hold every high school record in the state and have the most beautiful stroke in the country… but if the balls don’t go through the hoop, it doesn’t fucking matter. Pitino has better options at his disposal this season. If Gabe can’t improve on offense then he needs less minutes, period.

Engaged Both Gach is crucial.

Getting Gach to transfer from Utah could prove to be one of the biggest recruiting wins in Richard Pitino’s tenure at the University of Minnesota. Without him, this team would not have the talent to compete in the Big Ten over the next couple of seasons.

He’s long, athletic and skilled. When he’s engaged on defense and knocking down outside shots on offense, he can be your team’s best player. He showed us that first hand last season when he went off vs the Gophers in Utah.

But vs Illinois, he was a shell of himself. He posted an utterly disgusting box score line of 1 point, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 26 minutes of play. How does that happen when you have Marcus Carr drawing most of the defense’ attention? It can’t.

Gach has all the tools to be the 2nd-best player on this team but he needs to want it more than he did on Tuesday night.

#2. Liam Robbins MUST adjust to Big Ten

I knew Liam Robbins was in trouble vs Big Ten big men when he was getting into early foul trouble vs Loyola Marymount. That proved true vs Illinois when Robbins was racking up personal fouls like like they were gift cards on Christmas Day.

When Robbins was in the game early, the Gophers were competitive. As soon as he went out, Kofi Cockburn (pronounced like its spelled) took over and the game was over by the time Liam re-entered.

Robbins will be a good player in the Big Ten but how quickly he can adjust to the physicality of this conference will go far toward dictating how competitive the Gophers are in 2020-21.

#3. Jamal Mashburn Jr needs to grow up fast

Jamal Mashburn Jr has looked just like one would expect a talented young true freshman to look, especially with a limited offseason and preseason. There are times, both offensively and defensively, where Jamal Jr looks to be seeing the floor well and playing fast. Other times, he looks lost.

Growing pains are to be expected… but they can’t last very long if this team is going to win games in 2020-21. Pitino needs to be able to trust Mashburn Jr to play big spot minutes at any time.

Marcus Carr is a great player but he can be a loose cannon, oftentimes playing out of control when fatigued. Last year, there was nothing Richard could do about it. He had nobody else to handle the ball and even a bad Marcus was better than no Marcus Carr.

If Jamal Mashburn Jr can help Pitino spell Carr at the right times, and even create a spark off the bench throughout the season, it would go a long way in making it a success.

#4. Prove it Time for Richard Pitino

The offense has looked like shit this season and that’s on Richard Pitino to improve. Can he come up with an offensive game plan better than 4-handoffs and a Marcus Carr isolation dribble drive?

If not, it’s going to be a long season. I’m willing to cut Little Ricky a bit of slack because he hasn’t had a lot of practice time. Age isn’t an argument, though. This is a veteran team that needs to find a way to gel together in a hurry.

If Richard can make that happen, it would be his best coaching performance of a young career. If not, this will be a long and terrible season of Minnesota Gophers basketball and the call for Pitino’s job will be louder than ever.

Pitino’s life has been basketball and his connections spread farther and wider than any young coach in the game. There’s really no excuse for coaching and offensive strategy being a problem for a team this talented.

Another test on Sunday

The Gophers will play the last non-conference game on their schedule on Sunday, when the Saint Louis Billikens come to Williams Arena. Saint Louis is turning into the next mid-major powerhouse and have climbed into the top-25.

Minnesota is going to be a big underdog at home in this matchup. The Billikens are 9-0 vs the spread in their last nine games (according to OddsShark.com) and the Gophers just got dominated on Tuesday. Sounds like an opportunity to change some minds.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/4-keys-to-a-competitive-gopher-mbb-season/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:32:30 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Robbins Finally Granted Eligibility Waiver From NCAA https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/richard-pitino-awaiting-ncaa-eligibility-waivers-for-top-transfers-gach-robbins/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/richard-pitino-awaiting-ncaa-eligibility-waivers-for-top-transfers-gach-robbins/#respond Wed, 02 Sep 2020 21:18:00 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=27881

Richard Pitino and Gopher Men’s Basketball received some massive news Wednesday afternoon. After much deliberation, the NCAA has finally granted Drake transfer, Liam Robbins, his waiver for eligibility during the 2020-21 season.

The announcement comes months after he declared his decision to transfer, early this summer. Robbins is now eligible to suit up immediately for the Gophers. A decision on Both Gach still awaits, but that’s not surprising because the Gophers haven’t sent his request in yet.

LIAM ROBBINS

A Davenport, Iowa native and former University of Drake standout, Robbins transferred to play in the Big Ten, while also being closer to family amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Robbins’ uncle is Minnesota Associate Head Coach, Ed Conroy, and senior walk-on, Hunt Conroy, is Liam’s cousin.

Heavily under-recruited in high school, Robbins played an extra season of ball at Sunrise Christian Academy, the same school that sophomore guard Tre Williams previously attended.

But after averaging 14.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game and shooting 49.9% from the field and 69.4% from the charity stripe, Robbins was under-recruited no more. He earned offers from schools across the country, but eventually picked the Gophers. 

Now eligible to play immediately, Robbins should vault the Gophers from the bottom of the Big Ten to the middle of the pack or higher. He brings a great deal of experience and talent to the Gophers, on top of a very formidable jump shot.

BOTH GACH

Gach, the former Austin (MN) High School standout, announced his plans to transfer from the University of Utah earlier this summer. This past season, the 6-foot-6, 183-pound guard averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Utes, while also shooting 39.7% from the field and 25% from three. A desire to come back home, where a member of his family is dealing with health issues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, was likely the reason for his departure.

In addition to transferring, Gach also had the option to declare for the draft this year, but ultimately decided to wait another season and develop his game in the meantime.

GACH’S HOMECOMING

Both Gach is expected to get his waiver request approved in easier fashion than Robbins, and should also make a large impact immediately. When watching Gach’s game, he has similar skills to former Gophers star Amir Coffey.

A few particular things stick out: his finishing ability, shot-making ability, and the ability to play anywhere on the court. Part of why he is able to do these things so well is his good body control. This shows most in his finishing ability at the hoop. He displayed that ability against All-Pac 12 guard McKinley Wright in the gif below. 

via GIPHY

I could keep going on about how good he is, but luckily I already wrote a piece about what he brings to the Gophers. Read that piece here.

With Robbins receiving his waiver for this season, and Gach looking likely to be granted a waiver as well, the Gophers roster for the 2020-21 season is suddenly looking very strong.

They will need to be. The Big Ten conference will be no joke in 2020-21. Richard Pitino may find some job security if the group performs well.

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/richard-pitino-awaiting-ncaa-eligibility-waivers-for-top-transfers-gach-robbins/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:33:16 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball NCAA Tells Gophers to Provide More Info on Liam Robbins Waiver Request https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/ncaa-tells-gophers-to-provide-more-info-on-liam-robbins-waiver-request/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/ncaa-tells-gophers-to-provide-more-info-on-liam-robbins-waiver-request/#respond Fri, 14 Aug 2020 21:09:15 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=28748

News on NCAA transfer waivers (to play immediately in 2020) have been trickling through for weeks now. Many Minnesota Gophers media and fans thought we would have heard back from the NCAA on the waivers for two of our most important newcomers, Liam Robbins (Drake) and Both Gach (Utah). Now, we have an update on the status of our new transfer duo…

Wait…. what?

According to Marcus Fuller of the Star Tribune, the transfer committee needs more information from Richard Pitino and the Gopher basketball program before they are comfortable making a decision on the waiver for Liam Robbins. WTF could the University of Minnesota have forgotten to send the NCAA… or could this be a situation where the NCAA is being unreasonable? What a strange tweet.

On top of that, Both Gach’ waiver hasn’t even been sent in yet. Supposedly, Pitino and Co. believe it’s a better idea to have the NCAA concentrate on one Minnesota waiver request at a time. After seeing this, you can’t blame him. If you are getting nervous though, you aren’t the only one.

Again, this whole thing is really starting to get weird. If you believe this is the NCAA just trying to stab Minnesota because it’s fun, I can’t say you’re wrong. It’d be the least-shocking news I’ve come to terms with over the last few months… but could that be it?

Remember the Carr Waiver?

If we rewind back to the Marcus Carr waiver decision from a couple of years ago, it played out this same way. Pitino told media multiple times that he was confident about the Carr waiver. There was a weirdly long waiting period after that… before the request was denied. Meanwhile, waivers are getting approved across the NCAA for everyone else.

This isn’t a blog where I claim to have all the answers (like usual). I don’t know what is happening behind this curtain or how this will finish. Hopefully, Pitino just forgot to include a copy of his insurance card or Robbins’ birth certificate in the paperwork? The situation is worth keeping an eye on. Then, we’ll have to do this same thing with Both Gach. Fun.

Not to mention, Liam Robbins could be the difference in having a front court that can compete in the Big Ten this season. Comparing him to Marcus Carr is legitimate because it could be just as devastating.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/ncaa-tells-gophers-to-provide-more-info-on-liam-robbins-waiver-request/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:33:17 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball