The lowdown
2000-01 record: 18-14; 5-11 in Big Ten (9th)
Final Ranking: NR
Postseason: Lost to Tulsa 76-73 in second round of NIT
Three Questions for 2001-02
1. How will Shane Schilling, Dusty Rychart and Mike Bauer handle the arrival of Jerry Holman and Rick Rickert? Both players come in with tons of expectations and a need to get a high number of touches.
2. How will Rickert deal with the immense pressure of being the local boy and the biggest name in the state to play at Minnesota since Kevin McHale?
3. Who will play the point? Can Aaron Robinson come in and contribute at the position this soon? The Gophers have the pieces in place at every position but the point.
Three Key Facts
1. Last year's Gophers didn't get much respect from conference coaches. Despite reaching the postseason (NIT), not one player was selected to at least honorable mention Big Ten honors. This despite departed senior Terrance Simmons finishing 11th in scoring, 10th in assists, ninth in steals, seventh in 3-point shooting percentage, sixth in 3-pointers made. Not to mention, Dusty Rychart, who finished right behind Simmons in scoring and was eighth in rebounding. Rychart is back and should get some postseason honors this season.
2. Led by the signing of Rickert, the Gophers' incoming recruiting class is the best in the Big Ten. The other top 100 prep is Maurice Hargrow, a 6-4 shooting guard from St. Paul.
3. The Gophers lost 6-11 center Ryan Wildenborg, who transfered to Washington. Wildenborg played in 58 games as a Golden Gopher, starting 17 overall. He saw action in 32 games last year with 11 starts. He averaged 2.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 10.6 minutes per game.
Andy Katz's Scenarios
Best case: Minnesota gets decent point-guard play and makes a run for a top-five Big Ten finish, an NCAA Tournament berth and the conclusion to a remarkable comeback from near NCAA banishment.
Worst case: The Gophers fall short of NCAA bid, end up in the NIT and make a run for New York in March.
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Key Players Returning
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Player
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Yr.
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Dusty Rychart
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Sr.
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F
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6-7/210
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PTS: 14.2 | REB: 7.7 | AST: 1.4
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Mike Bauer
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So.
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F
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6-8/205
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PTS: 11.4 | REB: 4.8 | AST: 1.5
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Shane Schilling
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Sr.
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G/F
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6-6/200
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PTS: 8.4 | REB: 2.8 | AST: 1.6
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Key Losses
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Terrance Simmons
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G
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6-3/185
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PTS: 14.2 | REB: 2.9 | AST: 3.9
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John-Blair Bickerstaff
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F
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6-6/190
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PTS: 10.9 | REB: 6.1 | AST: 4.0
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Minnesota Signings
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht.
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High School/College
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Rick Rickert
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F
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6-10
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Duluth, Minn./East H.S.
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Aaron Robinson
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G
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5-8
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Rockford, Ill./Guilford H.S.
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Maurice Hargrow
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G
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6-4
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St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park H.S.
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Jerry Holman
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F
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6-11
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St. Paul, Minn./Minneapolis Community & Technical/Humbolt
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