Gophers Basketball Preview-Starters

The Minnesota Golden Gophers Men's Basketball has loads of expectations this year.  Probably more expectations they have in years.  They have a right mix of shooting, defense, guards, forwards, centers  They have a right mix of veteran players and a couple of good recruits that will play a lot as well.  I am going to talk about the players and then at the end a prediction for regular season wins.

Nate Mason PG Senior

Nate Mason has been through it all as a Gopher as he was one of the guys that were suspended a couple of years ago, so he needed to gain back Coach Pitino's trust.  He did just that in 2017.  He averaged 15.2 points and five assists a game as a junior last year.  He played mainly PG previous year as that was the need, but with Isiah "jelly" Washington on the roster, you could see Mason play the off guard more often.  What makes him unique is he can play off the ball and go off picks and shoot 3's or have the ball and break down the defense.  He is excellent either way, and that is what makes him special.  He is the player on this Gopher team, and I can see him play professionally overseas. 

Dupree Mcbrayer  SG  JR

The flexible guard from Queens, NY is excellent defensively and has picked up his three-point shot.  Last year as a sixth man he averaged 11.1 points and 2.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds.  He does it all for the Gophers.  He picked it up from behind the three-point land going from 25% as a Freshman to 42% as a Sophomore.  He was by far the best three-point shooter on the Gophers last year and are going to need him to take another jump his Junior year,

Amir Coffey  SF  SO

Arguably the best player on the Gophers last year is back as a Sophmore.  Last year as a Freshmen from Hopkins, Minnesota Amir averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists.  He shot 33% from three-point range as well.  He is long ways away from that knee injury that had to have him questioning where his future was going.  He is such a fluid player that two dribbles and he can be from the three-point line to dunking it.  He has the most tools of any Gopher player in some time, and I don't think he spends all four years as a Gopher he has that kind of potential.  He has the work ethic, and they want to to be an NBA player sometime.  He reminds me of Tayshaun Prince not only in the build but how fluid he is and how his three-point shot is developing.

Jordan Murphy  PF  Junior

Murphy had some struggles finding his place on a much more talented team his Sophmore year.  However, the Junior from San Antonio eventually found his spot and finished with a flurry.  Murphy is only 6'6, so the rebound numbers he has put up as a Gopher have been phenomenal.  He averaged 11.6 points and 8.8 rebounds.  Almost nine rebounds from a guy 6'6 are all about heart and determination.  He plays a very good forward and is just very consistent.  This year he is expected to come back and just do what he does.

Reggie Lynch  C  Senior

The native of Edina, Minnesota came back to the state and was a monster defensively and with a nice touch offensively.  He averaged 8.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.  The problem all year for Lynch is he got into foul trouble so much that he only averaged 23.1 minutes a game.  Coach Pitino has made it clear that is not acceptable.  When he is on the floor, he is dominant, but he is not on the field enough.  Most of the fouls were ticky-tack ones that were dumb to commit.  I am not going to blame the official he needs to avoid the contact.  Him playing 30 minutes a night compared to 23 is difference between the Gophers finishing 4th or 5th in the Big 10 and contending for a Big 10 championship.

That is the starting 5 I will be back later today with the reserves.