Notebook: Stakes raised for Gophers heading into rematch with Illini
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MINNEAPOLIS -- One month later, it is still considered a wasted opportunity.
Resurrected from a 13-point second half deficit, the Gophers were 16 seconds away from snaring a Big Ten season-opening victory and delivering Illinois a stunning home loss.
A botched free throw and an errant foul, however, reversed their fortunes yet again. After two overtime sessions, the "U" was left stinging in the wake of a blatant missed chance at a resume-building road win
That defeat was soured further as it snowballed the Gophers into an 0-4 conference start -- a skid they only recently have emerging from.
"I feel like we gave that game away," forward Rodney Williams said Friday. "I think that has definitely stuck with us."
The extra-baggage could be the boost the Gophers (15-6, 3-5) need when they host the Illini in a rematch Saturday (7 p.m. 1500 ESPN).
The stakes for both teams are undoubtedly higher in this go around.
Resiliency has proven to be one of the Gophers' primary traits this season. Until Wednesday's setback against Michigan State, a three-game win streak had revitalized Tubby Smith's team as the Big Ten's hottest squad. Stabilized by Williams' willingness to inherit a go-to role, the group-minded Gophers have shown glimmers of their potential to make a significant run that could impact their March plans.
Still burdened by a sub-par 3-5 conference record, the importance for the "U" to avoid being outplayed and overloaded -- as was the case in the loss to the Spartans -- is elevated to a near critical level.
Michigan State relentlessly exposed the Gophers' vulnerability inside, capturing a distinct rebounding edge and opening lanes to the basket. Compile that with an outbreak of turnovers and ill-advised fouls, and the result was game that escalated out the "U's" reach.
Smith's message to his team afterwards was stern.
"I told them we didn't play very smart," Smith said. "I thought we allowed ourselves to get shoved around and pushed around. That's the way I approached it, and I told them we need to get tougher between now and Saturday."
It's a message Smith hopes reaches his players in time. The upbeat Gophers haven't reached scramble-mode yet with 10 games still remaining, but there is an increased urgency to find a way to stop the Illini and their 7-foot-1 center Meyers Leonard, who scored 20-points in their last meeting.
"It's a huge game for us. We've got to embrace the challenge," Smith said. "We're two games under .500. We're a team that's very desperate to get wins."
The Gophers aren't the only ones.
Despite a strong opening 4-1 stretch to conference play, Illinois (15-5, 4-3) is faltering after back-to-back losses to Penn State and Wisconsin. Victories are coming at a high premium as the mid-section of the Big Ten standings has become clogged by five teams hovering one or two games above or below the .500 mark -- Illinois, Purdue, Indiana, Iowa and the Gophers.
Illini coach Bruce Weber told reporters this week the conference is reaching a "breaking point", where the upcoming stretch of games may be the deciding factor for the teams clumped together in the middle of the pack.
Saturday is not a season-altering game, though it could impact the direction Illinois and the Gophers are pulled towards in the weeks ahead.
Notes
• Williams twisted his ankle against Michigan State, leaving a slight lingering soreness. He practiced on Thursday, but Smith said Williams was not used at full speed. The junior forward firmly downplayed the injury, not hesitating to say 'I'll be fine.'
• Gophers alum Flip Saunders has more free time at his disposal after he was fired earlier this week as head coach of the Washington Wizards. While Smith has not yet been in contact with the former "U" guard, he said Saunders has a standing invite to visit the team at any time.
