Richard Pitino accentuated the importance of recruiting from the moment he stepped foot on campus.
The Gophers men’s head basketball coach punctuated his first season at the helm with an NIT title,...
The last time the Gophers met Augsburg, their offense struggled a bit.
Minnesota’s bats mustered just three hits as the Gophers squeaked out a 1-0 win over the Auggies on April 2.
It was a different...
Elation rushed through Leandro Toledo when he glanced down at his iPhone on Wednesday afternoon.
He’d just gotten a text message from head coach Geoff Young informing him that he’d been selected...
Gophers head coach Richard Pitino's up-tempo system requires a rostor packed with athleticism to be able to reach its full force.
His first recruiting class looks to have pushed the Gophers toward...
The Gophers were in a bit of a hole Thursday.
Without top singles player Tereza Brichacova, Minnesota trailed rival Wisconsin 3-2 in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
Still, the Gophers didn’t...
The Gophers women's tennis team is not at full strength.
But that doesn't mean Minnesota was about to fall in the first round at the hands of their rival, head coach Chuck Merzbacher said.
"We...
Josh Martin was the first member of Gophers head coach Richard Pitino's 2014 recruiting class.
But he was far from the last. Since Martin's commitment back in September, Minnesota has added five...
Jack Hamburg and Mathieu Froment didn’t identify as doubles players when they first arrived on campus.
Like many successful tennis players, they came to college focused primarily on the singles game.
A...
With Elliott Eliason and Mo Walker set for their senior seasons in the fall, the Gophers needed to add some depth to their front line with this year's recruiting class.
Mission accomplished.
Bakary...
A pair of constant smiles, lots of laughs and a bunch of victories.
That’s been the story of the season for senior Natallia Pintusava and junior Julia Courter on the doubles court.
“We’re...
It wasn’t exactly the weekend that the Gophers women’s tennis team was hoping for to wrap up the regular season.
No. 59 Minnesota (16-8, 6-5) lost 4-3 to No. 43 Illinois on Friday night before...
The Gophers women’s tennis team has been unpredictable at the top of the lineup this season.
Tereza Brichacova, Natallia Pintusava and Jessika Mozia have experienced peaks and valleys at the No....
Sunday marked the last time Juan Pablo Ramirez competitively took the court at the Baseline Tennis Center.
The senior walked out a winner, topping Harry Jadun of Michigan State in straight sets.
Ramirez’s...
Leandro Toledo doesn’t hide from it. He said the thought sits in the back of his mind. It drives him forward and pushes him to improve.
Toledo badly wants to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament this...
DeAndre Mathieu didn’t have a true offseason a year ago.
He spent his summer taking care of academics while the rest of his teammates learned new head coach Richard Pitino’s offensive and defensive...
By now, it's become an age-old question of sorts: Is it better to win the NIT championship or get bounced in your first game of the NCAA Tournament?
My answer in the past was simple, make the NCAAs....
No. 51 Minnesota (9-10, 3-4 Big Ten) faced a tough draw this weekend against a pair of top-25 opponents. And it only got tougher for the team, which was without junior Jack Hamburg — one of its top...
NEW YORK — The Gophers posed for pictures, took turns cutting down the net and snapped selfies with the trophy — all hallmarks of a victorious postseason campaign.
At a glance, it was hard...
DeAndre Mathieu didn't care what tournament the Gophers were playing in on Thursday night; they were champions.
"I'm just so excited right now," he said.
Minnesota's NIT title...
This season is wrapping up the way it was supposed to play out the entire time.
With the Hollinses leading the Gophers.
Austin Hollins has 10 points, while Andre Hollins has nine, as the Gophers lead SMU...
New York -- This is it, the end of the line.
The Gophers season will come to an end tonight, the only question remaining is, how?
Will it be with first year head coach Richard Pitino and his players jubilantly...
New York -- Andre Hollins' Feb. 5 return to the Gophers starting lineup from his left ankle sprain after missing just two games was remarkable.
But nearly two months after his initial return to the...
NEW YORK — We’ve seen this movie before.
The Gophers are back in the National Invitation Tournament final for the second time in three years. Minnesota’s first appearance didn’t...
New York -- Southern Methodist coach Larry Brown and Gophers head coach Richard Pitino don't really know one another.
That'll change, at least to some point, on Thursday night when Minnesota meets...
NEW YORK — There’s no question the NCAA tournament provides the brightest stage in college basketball.
Still, the spotlights illuminating the Gophers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night...
The Gophers looked mighty comfortable early at the Garden.
Minnesota hit its first six shots en route to a 17-6 lead over Florida State less than six minutes into the game in the NIT semifinals at Madison...
New York -- The Gophers made this a goal as soon as they were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament -- get to Madison Square Garden for the NIT semifinals.
Three wins later, they're here.
Now the question...
It was the beginning of February, and the Gophers had just lost 55-54 to Northwestern at home — their second consecutive loss to a team they should have beaten.
It was likely the most dejected the...
The Gophers women’s tennis team entered the weekend hoping for a sweep over two ranked Big Ten opponents.
Minnesota didn’t accomplish its goal, but players and coaches weren’t necessarily...
Elliott Eliason gingerly strolled through the Bierman Field Athletic Building on Saturday afternoon with his left foot in a walking boot.
Eliason turned his left ankle in practice Thursday when he came...
While the Gophers are off until Tuesday, when they head to Madison Square Garden for their NIT semifinal matchup with , fans can catch what should be some fantastic NCAA Tournament action this week.
I...
The Gophers men’s tennis team lost 11 consecutive matches at the No. 5 singles spot to start the season.
Even for a team that doesn’t measure its success with results, that’s hard not...
Austin Hollins must really love New York.
That, or he knows that every time he steps out on the floor, he’s playing to extend his college career.
That might explain the herculean effort the senior...
It was clear last night meant a little more to DeAndre Mathieu.
Mathieu wanted Minnesota to win to extend its seniors' careers at least one more game and earn a spot at Madison Square Garden for the NIT...
Austin Hollins last first-half at Williams Arena was one for the books.
The senior guard poured in 18 points -- canning 5 of 8 from deep -- as Minnesota leads Southern Miss 44-40
The Gophers needed...
The motivation for nearly every player in the NIT is the same -- get to Madison Square Garden.
The Gophers are one win away from achieving that goal. To clinch their berth in the NIT semifinals in New...
The media waited outside the locker room for customary post-game interviews with the players after the Gophers 63-55 win over St. Mary's in the 2nd round of the NIT on Sunday afternoon.
The wait was...
It’s an all-too-familiar scene this time of year — seniors’ faces flood with tears as their teams fall in the postseason and their college careers end.
Gophers senior guard Maverick Ahanmisi...
The Gophers looked poised to lethargically step aside and bow out of the National Invitation Tournament on Sunday afternoon.
Minnesota fell behind 14-0 to St. Mary’s in the second round of the NIT...
The Gophers might not have qualified for the NCAA Tournament this season, but a couple of the players are in the midst of a different form of March Madness.
Senior guard Maverick Ahanmisi and junior forward...
A loss would have ended the Gophers season.
Senior Maverick Ahanmisi wasn’t about to let that happen.
Ahanmisi dropped a career-high 21 points as No. 1 Minnesota defeated High Point 88-81 on...
This isn't where the Gophers wanted to end up, but it's where they are.
Yes, Minnesota wanted to be, and felt it deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, but the committee didn't agree.
"It...
The Gophers elite strength of schedule wasn't enough to overcome a lack of wins against Top 50 RPI teams, a poor road record and a 26-point loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament.
Minnesota was...
The day has arrived. A Gophers team that's been up-and-down all season with great wins and devastating losses will find out if its done enough to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the second-consecutive...
The Gophers joined the ranks of the idol on Friday with their blowout loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
Judging from Twitter reactions after the game, you would have thought the loss was...
This is probably the end-all, be-all for the Gophers.
Beat Wisconsin and they’re in the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year.
Lose and sweat it out on Selection Sunday -- likely ending up...
One of the teams the Gophers are battling on the bubble with these days is Southern Miss.
The Golden Eagles enter a conference semifinal matchup with Conference USA’s top seed Louisiana Tech on Friday....
There were many bracketologists across the country that treated the Gophers quarterfinal matchup with Wisconsin as a make-or-break game for Minnesota's NCAA Tournament hopes.
The Gophers now have...
First off, read my story on DeAndre Mathieu and how he's proving all of his doubters wrong.
Minnesota, currently on the "First Four Out" of most NCAA Tournament projections, enters this week...
Apparently, Gophers do head south for the winter. They just wait until March to do it.
Minnesota’s men’s and women’s tennis teams will head to the Sunshine State next week to take on...
DeAndre Mathieu no longer wanted to play basketball.
He was a walk-on freshman at Morehead State who played sparingly and wasn’t making much of an impact. What pushed him away, though, was far...
Minnesota needed two wins over Penn State in a five day span — no one doubted that.
And the Gophers, who have been so up-and-down this season, delivered two solid performances to do just that —...
Florida International head coach Richard Pitino rocked a navy blue suit for the quarterfinals of the 2013 Sun Belt tournament last March — the same exact suit he wore on his wedding day.
In the semifinals,...
The Gophers needed this win, and with the way they played Sunday afternoon, it was clear they knew it.
Minnesota (19-12, 8-10 Big Ten) trounced Penn State 81-63 at Williams Arena.
Gophers coach Richard...
Gophers women’s tennis head coach Chuck Merzbacher can see the confidence growing in his players.
That’s what three straight wins can do for a team.
Minnesota (10-3) defeated Marquette 6-1...
Gophers coach Richard Pitino isn't going to act like he doesn't think about the NCAA Tourament.
"That'd be silly," he said.
But his players don't seem to be too consumed...
Oto Osenieks will be honored at the Gophers’ Senior Day on Sunday when Minnesota takes on Penn State.
That’s because Osenieks won’t be competing next season, the University announced...
A win in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday might have locked the Gophers into the NCAA tournament. But the loss left them firmly on the bubble.
It’s safe to assume that Gophers fans are still sweating...
It seemed like a missed opportunity when the Gophers fell 63-60 to Michigan back on Jan. 2.
A missed opportunity because the general consensus was this Michigan team, which was already minus star center...
A win in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday and the Gophers might have been locked into the NCAA Tournament. A loss and they’d remained firmly on the bubble.
It’s safe to assume Gophers fans are...
Jack Hamburg has won six straight matches on the singles side and seven straight in doubles.
Still, when the junior from South Dakota hears those stats, he stands stoically — unmoved, uninspired,...
Gophers head coach Richard Pitino said his team doesn’t talk about the NCAA tournament — ever.
But ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi does, and Tuesday night’s 95-89 win over No. 20 Iowa...
The Gophers have had quite a few different players step up this season, so there was a cast of characters to pick from for guys to provide a lift to Minnesota on Tuesday night against No. 20 Iowa.
But...
The Gophers were on the ropes — to say the least.
Minnesota (18-11, 7-9) had lost two straight and was sitting on the wrong side of the NCAA tournament bubble.
The offense stunk and hadn’t...
Charles Buggs has barely played this season.
Clearly, head coach Richard Pitino was stashing his secret weapon away for the right moment.
And trailing after a sluggish start to Iowa on Tuesday night, the...
No intro needed for this one.
I don't think the magnitude of this game is lost on players, coaches or fans.
If the Gophers win, they're back on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. If...
Gophers head coach Richard Pitino has the moxy of well-known life coach Tony Robbins.
He might not have the books, the movie cameos or the goatee Robbins has, but the head coach definitely has the mindset....
The Minnesota women’s tennis team puts a lot of emphasis on the doubles point.
On Sunday, losing it put the Gophers behind the eight ball from the start, and they never fully recovered.
Minnesota...
The Gophers were in control heading into the locker room in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday afternoon.
They utilized an 11-2 run late in the first half to nab a 28-18 lead over the Buckeyes at halftime.
Minnesota...
Richard Pitino stared at the table, scanning the box score for a good five seconds after the Gophers 62-49 loss to Illinois on Wednesday night, likely searching for a solution.
The question: What does...
Woof.
The Gophers looked like a good bet to get back to .500 in conference play, entering a matchup at home with the last-place team in the Big Ten.
But after shooting a woeful 4-for-25 from deep and committing...
Woof.
Heading into a matchup at home with the last-place team in the Big Ten, the Gophers looked like a good bet to get back to .500 in conference play.
But after shooting a woeful 4 for 25 from deep and...
When junior point guard DeAndre Mathieu was on the court for the first 8-plus minutes the Gophers looked like a well-oiled machine that would cruise to a victory over Illinois.
When he picked up his second...
Illinois did some damage to the Gophers a year ago.
After Minnesota defeated the Fighting Illini in Champaign in early January, Illinois came into Williams Arena 57-53 on Feb. 10.
"It really...
Daquein McNeil had an unusual request for head coach Richard Pitino early in the season.
McNeil, who originally committed to play for Pitino at Florida International before following him to Minnesota,...
Wally Ellenson hasn’t played a single minute in the Big Ten this season. And apparently, he didn’t like that.
Ellenson has decided to leave the men’s basketball team, the University announced...
Gophers head coach Richard Pitino understands how relevant Twitter is in today's world.
And he knows how much his players use it.
"It's very much a part of everyone's lives," Pitino...
EVANSTON, Ill. — The Gophers likely needed a weekend split to stay in bracketologists’ NCAA tournament projections.
That’s exactly what they got when they beat Northwestern 54-48 on Sunday...
Evanston, Ill. -- The Gophers likely needed a weekend split to stay inside the field of most bracketologists’ NCAA Tournament projections.
That’s exactly what they got when they beat Northwestern...
Turnovers and committing too many fouls killed the Gophers in their loss to Wisconsin on Thursday night.
Not much has changed.
Minnesota turned the ball over 10 times in the first half and trails the Wildcats...
The Gophers have certainly been inconsistent in the Big Ten this season.
One minute, they're taking Michigan State into overtime in East Lansing, Mich. and convincingly beating the likes of Ohio State...
It's getting to the point of the season, when the calendar turns into late February and coaches, players and fans begin to taste that sometimes sweet, sometimes salty flavor of March.
This is...
Madison, Wis. -- The Gophers used an excellent interior offensive attack and limited turnovers in their 81-68 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 22.
The script was flipped on Thursday night.
Minnesota (16-9, 5-7)...
Minnesota beat Wisconsin 81-68 on Jan. 22 at Williams Arena. The Gophers did so with a simple formula: limiting turnovers and a steady dose of DeAndre Mathieu and Mo Walker.
They haven't done any of...
The Gophers convincing 81-68 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 22 seemed to be a breakthrough, with Minnesota announcing its candidacy as a darkhorse for the Big Ten crown.
Since then, however, both teams experienced...
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association implemented experimental scoring rules for the first month of this season. These rules were designed to speed up matches and make them easier for fans to watch.
These...
Gophers head coach Richard Pitino persistently spoke of his up-and-down tempo when he took over the program in April.
His message was clear: Even if Minnesota wasn’t good, it was going to be fast.
That...
Richard Pitino found it fitting to give his thoughts on Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and his decision to retire following the 2014 season at Wednesday's pre-Wisconsin press conference.
"He's...
The Gophers needed an interior offensive presence, and Mo Walker needed a significant role.
But the match seemed to fit as perfectly as peanut butter and ketchup. Walker had lost 60 pounds in the offseason...
DeAndre Mathieu’s younger twin brothers and cousin made the trip from Tennessee to watch him battle vaunted Indiana point guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell.
So Mathieu had to show off for them.
“You...
Indiana came ready to play.
A barrage of triples and offensive rebounds have the Hoosiers up 36-30 over the Gophers at the half.
Indiana has been led by sophomore point guard Yogi Ferrell, who has 10 points,...
It's no secret the Gophers have lost three-straight games.
It's no secret they find themselves firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
And it's no secret Minnesota's recent history includes...
A 40-minute game can suck every ounce of energy out of a college basketball player.
The Gophers just went toe-to-toe with Purdue for 55 minutes in a triple-overtime loss on Wednesday night in West Lafayette,...
Gophers head coach Richard Pitino decided it was time to change it up.
He announced on Friday that sophomore forward Joey King will start in place of junior Oto Osenieks on Saturday when Minnesota welcomes...
All season Gophers head coach Richard Pitino has been bombarded with questions about potential changes to his starting lineup.
And all season Pitino has deflected the questions, saying he wasn't going...
The Gophers lost their third straight game Wednesday night, falling to Purdue 77-74 in triple overtime.
“We’ve got a pretty disappointed team [in the locker room],” head coach Richard...
The Gophers lost their third straight game on Wednesday night, falling to Purdue 77-74 in three overtimes.
“We’ve got a pretty disappointed team [in the locker room],” Gophers head coach...
Andre Hollins made a surprise start for the Gophers on Wednesday night, just two weeks after going down with a severe left ankle sprain.
But his return didn't amount to much in the first half as Minnesota...
Read my story in today's Daily on the Gophers attempting to avoid another February slide.
Wednesday night marks an important point in the Gophers (15-7, 4-5) season as they travel to West Lafayette...
It took one game this month for Gophers head coach Richard Pitino to notice the alarming trend fans have stewed over for the past few seasons: Come February, the Gophers tense up, and the season goes awry.
On...
