The Big Ten is arguably the deepest conference in college basketball this year, leaving many teams to battle for their tournament lives in conference play. Maryland made strides beating Nebraska last week, and Minnesota is next on the list.
We talked to Nick Jungheim of the Minnesota Daily to get insider information ahead of Tuesday’s matchup in Minneapolis. Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
Both Maryland and Minnesota’s offenses rely heavily on their junior guards, Anthony Cowan and Amir Coffey. How do you think Coffey will fare against another experienced leader?
When Coffey asserts himself offensively, he’s capable of having success against any guard in the Big Ten. For him it’s a matter of flipping the switch and taking it upon himself to take over a game. In the last game against Wisconsin, he went most of the first half without scoring, but then took charge, scoring 15 consecutive points for the Gophers.
Coffey’s main advantage is his length. At 6-foot-8, he has a pronounced size advantage over most guards, something Cowan will have to account for as an shorter player. Furthermore, even with Coffey’s height, his ball handling and passing skills allow him to effectively run the point. That, combined with his ability to get to the basket, make him a player to look out for.
The Golden Gophers are undefeated at home this season, while Maryland is coming off its first conference road win of the year. How much of a factor will the Barn and the home crowd be in this game?
Since the Big Ten looks so competitive top-to-bottom this season, winning on the road will be challenging for everybody. Therefore, it’s essential that teams get victories at home and utilize all the benefits that come from home-court advantage. At its best, the barn is definitely a challenging arena for visitors to play in.
The Gophers’ game against Nebraska earlier this season illustrates this point. When Minnesota began to go on a run after trailing by 13 points early in the second half, the crowd began to come alive and the team really seemed to feed off that energy. Even though the arena wasn’t at full capacity, it was about as loud as I’ve heard it. Maryland should be careful to limit the Gophers’ scoring runs; otherwise, the Barn could become a significant factor.
Maryland and Minnesota are both in the top 50 in the nation in offensive rebounds. How will the Gophers be able to keep the Terps’ bigs, Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith, off the boards?
In terms of rebounding, Jordan Murphy is as reliable as it comes for Minnesota. He’s the only player in program history with 1,000 career boards. Even though he’s undersized for a forward, he has elite strength and positioning that should limit Fernando and Smith on the offensive glass.
Freshman Daniel Oturu has also shown tremendous improvement over the course of the season thus far. Initially, he appeared unprepared for the physicality of the college game, but since the start of December, he’s averaging over nine rebounds per game. Also, Eric Curry will be playing in just his third game since returning from injuries that kept him sidelined for a year and a half; he gives the Gophers another presence on the glass and much-needed frontcourt depth.
Minnesota has shot poorly from beyond the arc in both of its losses, including an 0-for-13 performance against Ohio State. How much do the Golden Gophers live and die by the three?
The Gophers’ offense is at its best when it can get out and run, play in transition, and get the ball moving toward the basket. When their offense goes stagnant is when they become over-reliant on midrange jump shots and threes. So far, Minnesota has struggled to score when that’s happened.
Other than freshman Gabe Kalscheur, nobody has emerged as a consistent threat from behind the arc. If Maryland can prevent the Gophers from feeding the ball to Murphy in the low post, they have a good chance at frustrating Minnesota’s offense and forcing them to take low-percentage shots.
Finish this sentence: The Gophers win if…
…they find a rhythm offensively and find it early. Minnesota has started too many games ice cold from the field this season, which they were able to overcome in nonconference play, but that won’t cut it in the Big Ten. Have Coffey play a leading role in the offense, let Murphy go to work down low, and mix in the occasional three from Kalscheur.
The Terps win if…
…they get the Gophers’ forwards, especially Jordan Murphy, in foul trouble. Over the past few seasons, Minnesota’s big men have had a frustrating tendency to pick up two quick fouls in the first half. When that’s happened, they’ve rarely won. Have Fernando challenge defenders at the rim and try to draw contact. If Murphy goes to the bench early, Maryland will have a great chance to control the run of play and build a solid lead by halftime.
