Almost Gophers

I've been meaning to do this since like, midseason, but never got around to it. Since I'm bored, I'm going to give it a shot right now.

Here is a look at the various first year division I players this year who were linked to the Gophers at one point, either through getting an offer, or rumored interest on one side or the other, alphabetically because I don't know how else to do it. (NOTE: The "Bummer?" category assumes the Gophers could sign the player without giving up anybody else from the 2008 class - not realistic but makes more sense to do it that way).


ORLANDO ALLEN
From: Paris, TX
Position: Center
Size: 6-11, 267
Credentials: #55 on Rivals list of top JuCo players (he's a sophomore), 2 stars from scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Oklahoma (had originally signed with Seton Hall before attending Juco)
Minutes per game: 5.5
Highlights: 2.5 points, 1.0 rebs per game...Season highs 10 points and 5 boards against UM-Eastern Shore
Would have been: No better than third on the center depth chart
Bummer?: Minorly, maybe.

ARMOND BATTLE
From: Plymouth, MN
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6-7, 185
Credentials: 2 stars from Scout, 3 from Rivals
Gophers level of interest: Minimal
Signed with: Tulsa
Minutes per game: 0.0
Highlights: Looking like a redshirt
Would have been: Probably better than Travis Busch
Bummer?: Not at all

JARED BERGGREN
From: Princeton, MN
Position: Center
Size: 6-10, 235
Credentials: #74 on Rivals150, #15 center on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Wisconsin
Minutes per game: 0.0
Highlights: Looking like a redshirt
Would have been: Likely a clone of Colt Iverson
Bummer?: A little, but not much

ANDREW BROMMER
From: Rosemount, MN
Position: Power Forward/Center
Size: 6-9, 235
Credentials: 2 stars from Rivals, #38 center on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Not much
Signed with: Iowa
Minutes per game: 9.0
Highlights: 1.2 points, 1.2 rebs per game...career high of five points against West Virginia...5-22 on free throws this season
Would have been: Bench fodder
Bummer?: Not in the least, dude sucks

JOSH CRITTLE
From: Chicago, IL
Position: Power Forward/Center
Size: 6-8, 260
Credentials: #38 PF on Rivals, #30 Center on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Oregon
Minutes per game: 14.7
Highlights: 3.1 points, 3.0 rebs per game...10 points vs. Oregon State...8 pts & 9 rebs vs. Wash State
Would have been: Probably in the mix somewhere, ahead of Busch if nothing else
Bummer?: Kind of

MARCUS DENMON
From: Kansas City, MO
Position: Shooting Guard
Size: 6-3, 185
Credentials: #150 on Rivals150, #33 SG on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Minimal
Signed with: Missouri
Minutes per game: 17.5
Highlights: 7.3 points, 2.4 rebs per game...Double digit points 9 times...career high 16 vs. Iowa State
Would have been: A definite contributor
Bummer?: With the difficulty the Gophers have had on offense, most definitely

AUSTIN DUFAULT
From: Killdeer, ND
Position: Power Forward
Size: 6-8, 210
Credentials: #35 PF on Scout, 3-stars on Rivals
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Colorado
Minutes per game: 32.0
Highlights: 9.2 points, 4.0 rebs per game...Double digit points 12 times...career high 21 points vs. UL-Monroe...played 42 minutes in OT loss to Texas
Would have been: In the mix with Carter, Bostick, and Busch
Bummer?: Numbers a bit inflated by playing so many minutes for a bad team, but he's a versatile scorer who will only get better. Definite bummer.

KRYS FABER
From: Palmdale, CA
Position: Center
Size: 6-11, 265
Credentials: #22 center on Rivals, #36 center on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: DePaul
Minutes per game: 8.4
Highlights: 1.9 points, 1.8 rebs per game...Career high 11 points against Providence...appeared in all but three games this season
Would have been: The third big man
Bummer?: Maybe a little, but if can't be a big contributor for a crap team like DePaul, it's unlikely he could do much for the Gophers

COURTNEY FORTSON
From: Montgomery, AL
Position: Point Guard
Size: 5-10, 175
Credentials: #60 on Rivals150, #9 PG on Scout
Gophers level of interest: High (but never offered)
Signed with: Arkansas
Minutes per game: 32.5
Highlights: 14.6 points, 5.5 rebs, 6.2 assists per game...Second in the SEC in assists...Good chance to be SEC newcomer of the year...Triple double (20/10/11) against NC Central...double figure points in all but three games
Would have been: Might be a starter, given Westbrook and Nolen's recent troubles
Bummer?: More than I can possibly articulate

NATHEN GARTH
From: Memphis, TN
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6-3, 180
Credentials: Three stars on Rivals, 2 on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Originally signed with Gophers before Tubby changed his mind
Signed with: New Mexico
Minutes per game: 18.9
Highlights: 4.7 points, 3.5 assists per game...12 points vs. VCU...10 assists vs. Ole Miss...1.7-1.0 assist/turnover ratio
Would have been: Probable backup point guard (with Devoe moving to backup SG full-time)
Bummer?: Yes, would take a lot of worry away from hoping Justin Cobbs is good next year

STEPHEN GOINS
From: Chicago, IL
Position: Center
Size: 6-10, 250
Credentials: #27 center on Rivals, not ranked on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Medium (no offer)
Signed with: Maryland
Minutes per game: 3.0
Highlights: 0.5 points, 1.0 rebs per game...career highs are 1 point and 2 rebounds...played in only four games...career best 6 minutes played vs. Youngstown
Would have been: Behind Jon Williams on the depth chart
Bummer?: Not one bit

DRAYMOND GREEN
From: Saginaw, MI
Position: Power Forward
Size: 6-6, 235
Credentials: #122 on Rivals150, #26 PF on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Michigan State
Minutes per game: 9.2
Highlights: 2.4 points, 2.8 rebs per game...15 points and 12 rebounds vs. Indiana...10 points and 7 rebounds vs. Alcorn State...53% field goal shooter
Would have been: Good chance at starting
Bummer?: Absolutely

SCOTTIE HARALSON
From: Jackson, MS
Position: Shooting Guard
Size: 6-4, 215
Credentials: #38 SG on Scout, 3 stars on Rivals
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: UCONN
Minutes per game: 3.9
Highlights: 0.9 points per game...played in just 10 games...scored 6 points vs. Delaware State
Would have been: Hard to say, but probably competing for Shamala's minutes
Bummer?: He's supposedly a shooter, and the Gophers could use more of them, but not really

VERDELL JONES
From: Champaign, IL
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6-5, 176
Credentials: #126 on Rivals150, #32 PG on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Indiana
Minutes per game: 27.6
Highlights: 9.8 points, 3.4 assists per game...started 20 games...18 points and 7 assists vs. Minnesota...13 pts, 7 rebs, 6 assists vs. Michigan
Would have been: Likely backup point guard (again, moving Devoe to full-time backup SG)
Bummer?: Turns the ball over too much, but would definitely help when Nolen and Westbrook struggle. I'll say a reluctant yes.

TRAVIS LESLIE
From: Decatur, GA
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6-4, 195
Credentials: #116 on Rivals150, #23 SF on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Medium (never offered)
Signed with: Georgia
Minutes per game: 14.3
Highlights: 6.3 points, 3.9 rebs per game...scored 23 points vs. Loyola-Chicago...19 points and 8 rebounds vs. Tex A&M-CC
Would have been: Likely behind Bostick
Bummer?: Not really.

LUKE LOUCKS
From: Clearwater, FL
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6-5, 205
Credentials: #86 on Rivals150, #22 PG on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Medium (never offered)
Signed with: Florida State
Minutes per game: 19.0
Highlights: 3.7 points, 2.3 assists per game...14 points and 6 assists vs. Coastal Carolina...played in every FSU game this season
Would have been: Another backup PG candidate
Bummer?: A 6-5 point guard contributing nightly on a NCAA tournament bound team? Oh yeah, most definitely a bummer.

STAN SIMPSON
From: Chicago, IL
Position: Power Forward/Center
Size: 6-9, 220
Credentials: #22 Center on Scout, 3-stars on Rivals
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Illinois
Minutes per game: 0.0
Highlights: Redshirting
Would have been: Tough to say with no minutes under his belt this year
Bummer?: Minimally

JORDAN TAYLOR
From: St. Louis Park, MN
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6-1, 190
Credentials: #124 on Rivals150, #30 PG on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Wisconsin
Minutes per game: 12.7
Highlights: 1.6 points, 1.0 assists per game...10 points scored vs. Iowa...25% shooting, 15% from three
Would have been: Behind Devoe
Bummer?: I hate his game, so not at all for me, despite the need for better guard play on the team

STEVEN TOYLOY
From: Miami, FL
Position: Power Forward
Size: 6-8, 255
Credentials: #16 on Rivals JuCo rating, 3 stars on Scout
Gophers level of interest: Offered
Signed with: Cincinnati
Minutes per game: 16.3
Highlights: 4.0 points, 3.9 rebounds per game...14 points and 9 rebounds vs. Ark-Pine Bluff...57% shooter from the floor
Would have been: Ahead of J-Will
Bummer?: Wouldn't have been more than a backup, so not really

ANTHONY TUCKER
From: Minnetonka, MN
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6-4, 200
Credentials: #33 PG on Scout, 3 stars on Rivals
Gophers level of interest: Minimal
Signed with: Iowa
Minutes per game: 21.1
Highlights: 10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds per game...24 points vs. West Virginia...43% from three...multiple suspensions, including the entire second semester
Would have been: Arrested or, more likely, suspended
Bummer?: On the court yes. Off the court no. Overall, no.

ELOY VARGAS
From: Plantation, FL
Position: Power Forward
Size: 6-10, 215
Credentials: #26 on Rivals150, #12 PF on Scout
Gophers level of interest: High (never offered)
Signed with: FLorida
Minutes per game: 3.1
Highlights: 0.7 points, 0.7 rebounds per game...played in just 7 games with a high of 8 minutes...0-8 on Field Goals this year
Would have been: No clue. Turned out to be a total project.
Bummer?: Initially, yes. After this season, not so much

MARTEZ WALKER
From: Aston, PA
Position: Small Forward
Size: 6-6, 225
Credentials: 3 stars on Rivals, 2 on scout
Gophers level of interest: Medium (never offered)
Signed with: No where (signed with Louisville as a HS freshman, then de-committed and never ended up landing anywhere - I can't find any info on why)
Minutes per game: 0.0
Highlights: I have no god damn idea
Would have been: Probably better than Shamala
Bummer?: Impossible to say

OTHERS WITH MINOR LINKS: Juco PF Keith Ramsey is in the rotation for Missouri, PG Jorge Gutierrez is doing a good job as backup PG for Cal, SG Kendall Durant never ended up enrolling at Virginia Tech and has disappeared, PF Jarrod Jones is starring for Ball State, and SG Shaquille Johnson is starting for Marshall.


So there you have it. Really, the only guy I really wish was here is Fortson, but I'm not sure I'd trade any of the five guys Tubby brought in for him. Maybe Bostick, just because there really aren't minutes available for him where as Fortson could contribute immediately, but overall: Bravo Tubby, bravo.

Watch Out for the A-10

As I said earlier this week, I won't be writing a Weekend Review because I'm heading to Chicago for vacation tomorrow, but if I did surely the top spot for WHO WAS AWESOME would go to The Atlantic 10 conference, giant killers of the basketball world.

Earlier today Temple knocked off #8 Tennessee decisively, 88-72, and UMass went into Kansas and beat the Jayhawks 61-60, despite trying as hard as they could to choke the game away. Add in that earlier this week St Joe's came within a hair of winning at #15 Villanova and Xavier's continued dominance (currently ranked tenth) and it's possible this conference might be for real this year.

They have a nice handful of good wins earlier this season as well, with Xavier having beat Memphis, Dayton over Marquette, St Louis over B.C., and Charlotte over Mississippi State (and don't forget Rhode Island almost beating Duke at Cameron). Add in the wins from today, and the A-10 is looking pretty good, although it might be tough to get more than 2 bids, as per usual.

Other stuff:

- Took in the Georgetown/Memphis game this afternoon, and got to see two of the better freshmen I've seen this year in Memphis's Tyreke Evans and Greg Monroe from Georgetown.

Evans didn't play his best ever game, shooting just 8-24 and turning it over five times but you can see how good this kid is by watching him. He makea more mistakes and forces more shots than you'd like, and with him and fellow freshmen Wes Witherspoon in charge of the backcourt the Tigers are pretty much doomed to not make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, but he is immensely talented and full of potential. He's already one of the best I've ever seen at getting to the rim. When he drives, where most people would pull up and shoot the jumper he finds a way to get just a little bit closer - it's crazy. And he plays the game faster than anybody else out there, he will absolutely be gone after this year.

Monroe's numbers didn't stand out either in the 79-70 OT win for the Hoyas, but the guy looks crazy good. He's an excellent defender already, as is typical of a Georgetown big man, and is an excellent scorer in the paint and a very intelligent player with the ball. What sets him apart from most seven footers is his perimeter game. Not so much a jump shot, which I don't think he really has, but he's very comfortable with the ball out there, whether passing to set up the offense or putting it on the floor to get to the rim. His ball handling skills are among the best I've seen in a center, and when another seven footer has to guard him out there he can go right by him - a big reason Memphis held him in check is their big men are athletic, not the bigger, stronger, plodding types.

- Speaking of plodding big men, I didn't get to watch as much of the Kansas/UMass game because I was paying more attention to the Memphis/G-Town game, but from what I did see Cole Aldrich was getting worked over by the Minutemen's Tony Gaffney. It turns out they both ended up with 13 rebounds and Aldrich outscored him 12-6, but Gaffney had six blocks and my eyes don't lie my friend, Cole struggles with the quicker, more athletic guys. Texas is going to beat them by twenty.

- Speaking of my eyes, I know people like it when I interrupt my rambling words with pictures of attractive young ladies, so here's a picture of the video game channel's Olivia Munn dressed up as Princess Leia. Rawr:


- Ok, pay attention again. Speaking of video games, if haven't rented The King of Kong yet, I must insist you stop what you're doing right now and go rent it and then watch it immediately. And if you want more red-hot Billy Mitchell action, search MTV for an episode of True Life called, "I'm a gamer." The whole episode is awesome and mainly follows other people, but there is a nice little bonus of some Billy Mitchell d-baggery that puts a nice follow-up (even thought this episode was filmed first) to King of Kong.

- So you know what's weird and actually pretty irritating? Utah has, right where the player's name is supposed to be, the word "Utah." So it says Utah on both the front and back of the jersey. What I'm guessing is that this is a seriously annoying dork motivational bit to say, "We aren't a collection of individuals. We're a team. We're UTAH!" Gayest thing ever? It's up there. Top five probably.

- And, just to make sure I end this on the right note, can anyone explain why the hell ESPN is showing a game from 1958 on ESPN in prime time tonight? So they've decided to take a game that should be on ESPN Classic, prettied it up and colorized it and made it HD, and then put it on in prime time on Saturday night. What the Mother F? As if it wasn't bad enough when they tried to force their stupid movies and insipid weekly series down our throats in prime time, now they try to give us a fifty year old game? Who is going to watch this? Eighty year olds? I'm lame, I'm not doing anything except sitting around the house tonight and not doing anything remotely interesting, and this is still dead last on the list of things I want to watch at 8pm tonight. Seriously. You know what I'd rather watch that is going up against this? Super Troopers on Comedy Central, and that's a horrible, horrible movie, but it's better than watching a game from back when Leave it to Beaver was must see TV (did you know there's a patron saint of television by the way, as named by the Pope in 1958? That is truly bizarre). You know what else I'd rather watch? ANYTHING. It boggles the mind. There are plenty of basketball games not being televised tonight, and you're supposed to be an all-sports station. PICK ONE.

[Added] I'm popping back in here again because while we were watching Twilight online I had the Cincy/Xavier game on in the background and some big guy for Cincy made a very nice, athletic move at the free throw line leading to a nice dunk, and when he turned around his name was Toyloy, and sure enough, it's the same Steven Toyloy the Gophers offered a scholarship to this offseason. He ended up signing with the Bearcats, and is playing pretty well and looked good the little bit I saw him. He's averaging 16 minutes a game, putting up 4 points and 5 rebounds per game, good enough for second leading rebounder on the team. Guy seems pretty solid.

And also congrats to Sammy "Sixxkiller" Bradford on winning the Heisman trophy. I'm just glad that moron Tim Teblows didn't win.

Future Gophers?

With the whole Royce White hub-bub dominating Gopher recruiting thoughts, I thought I'd take a minute to look at some possible Targets who are still out there for the team

2008:
PG Verdell Jones, Illinois, 30th ranked PG by Scout, Rivals #123 overall: Probably the best known of the names out there other than the two Minnesota kids for 2009, Verdell Jones has an offer from the Gophers. According to Scout, his choices are between Minnesota, Tennessee, and Kentucky - but his only offer is from the Gophers at this point. They also top his list. Jones is the second best point guard still available for 2008, and has taken visits to both the Gophers and Kentucky. The Volunteers just signed PG Daniel West, so that has to take them down a peg for Jones. All signs point to the Gophers leading to get his services.

C Krys Faber, Los Angeles, 23rd ranked C by Scout: Faber also has an offer from the Gophers, and is a big 6-10, 245 physical player. As of now, Scout has Minnesota at the top of his list along with Northern Illinois. He has visited both schools, and has an offer from each. Faber was well under the radar, but had a tremendous senior season and interest has picked up, with Notre Dame, St Johns, Baylor, Iowa, and even UCLA starting to show some interest.

C Steven Toyloy, Miami-Dade CC, 16th ranked Juco player by JuCo Junction: One other name for 2008 that I hadn't heard before is JuCo center Steven Toyloy, who led all junior college players in rebounding last year as a freshman with 13 per game at Miami-Dade. I was surprised to see that Minnesota has an offer out to him according to scout, along with West Virginia, Clemson, and Baylor - with UCONN in the mix as well. He is the 16th ranked JuCo player, but as referenced in this post, who the hell knows what that means. He sounds like a bit of a project, as his coach said, "He needs to continue to improve his footwork. His free throw shooting needs to get a little better and his overall skill development," Eisele said. "He has made great strides since high school and he is getting better day by day. He plays extremely hard and he has got a little bit of a mean streak in his game, which is always helpful with big kids" which sounds very projecty to me. apparently he's a great defender and rebounder, however.

2009
PF Royce White, Minneapolis, four stars from Scout, #32 overall from Rivals: If you're reading this, you probably already know about Royce so I'm not going to say much. I will say that I'm backing off a little from my whole "you are all idiots for saying we shouldn't recruit him anymore" stance, mainly because I was ignorant and ill-informed. I was unaware that this was White's second suspension, and I didn't know he had been a behavior problem all season. I'll trust in Tubby, but if he chooses to no longer go after Royce, I won't have a problem.

C DaShonte Riley, Detroit, #4 center by Scout, #13 overall by Rivals: Riley would absolutely be the best recruit the Gophers have gotten in a while. A 6-10 center who is a defensive monster. Averaged nine points, 12 rebounds, and 7 blocks per game as a junior. Needs to work on his offense a bit, but is a good enough player that besides the Gophers he also has offers from Florida, Georgetown, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, UCLA, and USC. If Tubby can pull Riley out of that group and get him to Minneapolis, a new era will truly have dawned at Williams Arena.

SG/SF Rodney Williams, Robbinsdale, #8 SF from Scout, #43 overall from Rivals: Williams is another guy you probably know about. He's been shooting up the charts and has offers from Minnesota, Iowa State, Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, Miami, and Purdue. Williams can flat out score, and if he qualifies academically - which my source indicates is no longer much of a concern - he would be a great signing for Minnesota.

One other interesting name out there for 2009 is Johnnie Lacy, a point guard from Milwaukee the Gophers have shown interest in, along with Wisconsin, Marquette, Cincinnati, and Tennessee. Not only is that just a sweet name, but to steal a Badger target and get him in Maroon and Gold would be a huge step in the right direction. Lacy is the #10 PG by Scout and is #88 overall by Rivals.

DaShonte Riley highlights below: