Wednesday, December 3, 2008

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TAKES ON THE VIRGINIA CAVALIERS IN THE ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE

The University of Minnesota is taking on Virginia in the late game on ESPN. This game is part of the Big Ten ACC challenge. All of the schools in the Big Ten Conference are playing schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Coming into this game, the Gophers have a record of 6-0 and Virginia has a record of 3-2.

As this game is about to get under way, the crowd is starting to gather. There is really a nice size crowd at this game tonight. The student section is really full. The Gophers win the tip off and here we go. Virginia has started by playing man-to-man defense. The Gophers are looking to push the ball to start this game out.

Virginia has come out and taken a 5-2 lead to start the game off. I don't think this is the type of start that Tubby Smith was expecting. The Gophers are going to be tested tonight, as this Virginia team from the power conference will test this Gopher team.


Colton Iverson has just come down and made a slam dunk. That really got this crowd into the game.


With 15:48 left to go in the first half, we have our first media timeout. The score is Minnesota 6 and Virginia 5.

Virginia is also looking to push the ball up the court. Sammy Zeglinski has looked good here for Virginia. He has made some nice moves without the ball.


Al Nolen has re-entered this game. He has played well. The Gophers can't afford to be sloppy in this game because it will end up hurting them down the stretch. Tubby Smith has done a lot of subbing of multiple guys, so far.


With 11:59 left to go in the first half, the score is Minnesota 8 and Virginia 12.


Al Nolen has just drained a long 3 point shot out of the timeout, to get the Gophers back into this game. The Gophers have made some dumb mistakes and that might catch up with them. They are still playing hard though.
The Gophers are pressing trying to make it hard for this Virginia team to make its shots. The Gophers are looking for their shots here. They are taking their time with it. Blake Hoffarber has just come down and drained two three point shots to get the Gophers back into this game. With 7:23 left to go in the first half, the score is Minnesota 17 and Virginia 18.

The Gophers are continuing to press. The Gophers are on a run. They have came down and rattled off 6 straight points. The Virginia coach doesn't like what he is seeing so he has decided to burn a :30 second timeout, with 6:15 left to go in the half. The score is Minnesota 23 and Virginia 18.


The Gophers have seem to come to life. They have played better as this game has progressed. Damian Johnson has come up with a big block to get the crowd on its feet.


Tubby Smith has been very vocal in his coaching style tonight. He has been pacing the side lines shouting instructions to his players.


With 3:21 left to go in the first half, the score is Minnesota 28 and Virginia 24.


It's going to come down to who can run their plays in the second half. This has been a very tight, yet sometimes sloppy first half. Whoever can come down and make shots and outsmart the other team will come away with a victory tonight. Devon Bostic has just come down and hit a three point shot at the end of the first half.

As we have reached half time here in this tight game, the score is Minnesota 32 and Virginia 29.

We are about to get the second half underway. Both teams are coming out strong, fired up, and ready to go. Both of these teams will have to try to cut down on their turnovers. At half time, Virginia turned the ball over 9 times while Minnesota turned it over 6 times.


The Gophers have come out fired up in the second half. All of the Gopher players that are on the bench have been standing and cheering for their teammates so far. The Gophers are playing really strong defense, to open the half up. At the under 16 media timeout, the score is Minnesota 43 and Virginia 33. All of the Gophers that were on the bench got up and congratulated the players that were on the court playing. Every one of these players is into this game. The Gophers have been playing with a lot of emotion and it's been positive so far. There is a lot of team work being displayed in this game.


The Gophers are still looking to run with it. Al Nolen has just picked up his third foul. Tubby yanks him. We will have to see when he will get back into this game.


They will need Nolen down the stretch. That is going to be key, when one of your leaders is on the bench in foul trouble.


With 10:51 left to go in regulation, the score is Minnesota 48 and Virginia 40.


Ralph Sampson has re-entered the game. He is going up against Jerome Meyinsse. They are really battling down in the low block. Al Nolen has returned to this game. He has 3 fouls so far. The Gophers are pressing here and they are on another little run. Al Nolen just got a steal in front of the Virginia bench and just came down and got a monster slam dunk. He then goes and plays very hard defense on the guy that is inbounding the ball.


Devoe Joseph has really played well here so far. He has made some really good moves around the basket in this game. He has really gotten after it too.


The Minnesota Golden Gophers have come away with a 66-56 victory tonight. They now improve to 7-0 on the season.

Colton Iverson was the Gophers leading scorer in this evening's contest. He lead the Gophers with 14 points. Lawrence Westbrook added 13.