The Not-So-Golden Gophers

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The University of Minnesota men's teams in basketball and hockey concluded their regular seasons running hot and cold, leaving supporters to scratch their heads wondering why all the inconsistency.

First, basketball.  Coach Tubby Smith was brought in here from Kentucky to help salvage a program ravaged by dissension and scandal.  That he's done, but this season has been more of a challenge.  Two players are no longer with the team, either because they were in academic or legal trouble.  The Gophers lose to teams they shouldn't have lost to, and blow big leads because they lack the ability to put away an opponent.

The expectations of finishing high in the Big Ten confrence standings and scoring an NCAA tournament bid almost became too much to ask of Tubby's bunch, in which they finished the regular schedule with a 9-9 mark.  Instead, they defeated Penn State, Michigan State and Purdue (in that order) before losing to Ohio State in the championship game just to get into the tournament.

In spite of themselves, the Gophers are actually going to participate in the March spectacle, playing Xavier in  a first round game Friday at Milwaukee.

As for hockey, the Gophers concluded their season with a 4-1 loss to North Dakota in the third game of their WCHA playoff series.  They finished seventh with a 13-14-2 mark behind league champion Denver University.

Coach Don Lucia's resume includes two national championships with the Gophers in the past decade.  In the State of Hockey, that's all people ask.  But when you have this boatload of hockey talent seemingly at your doorstep and your team struggles to get into the playoffs, people have a right to ask why that is.

This season, along with the usual run of injuries, the Gophers have had spotty performances on the ice when it counted.  That's not really Lucia's fault, because he's playing with whatever he's got available.  What doesn't help the situation is that every year, some players leave the team in search of greener pastures with the National Hockey League team that drafted him.  And though the Gopers still get the cream of the recruiting crop, there are four other schools in this state that play Division I hockey.  So, if you're a talented player, the 'U' isn't your only option.

There have been calls for Lucia's removal because some people believe he's lost his motivational touch with the players.  But as long as his teams make the post-season (which is never a guarantee in any sport), he'll still be coaching games at Mariucci Arena.  The same could apply for Tubby Smith.