I saw the game on Fox Sports Net while in Chicago Monday night (was it televised in the Twin Cities?).

 

I thought the Gophers played well, putting aside the missed free throws.  They showed good mental toughness on the road, especially when bouncing back from ASU's 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation.  Adam Boone took charge the way a sixth year senior should, in both running the offense and looking to score, which they need with all the injuries.

 

Gregg N.

 

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From: marc hugunin <marc@...>
Just saw the box from last night’s game out in Tempe, Gophers win 85-79 in OT. Have not seen a recap, don’t know if the Gophers had a lead or came from behind or what. But I do know that they made 27 of 49 from the FT line (55%), which sounds like they might have had a lead in regulation and missed some chances to put it away. Adam Boone 8 for 14, Tollackson 2 for 7. Good grief.

Boone 4 for 9 on 3s, 8 for 14 from the line. Maybe they should ask the officials if somebody could defend his FT and see what happens.

OTOH Jamal Abu-Shamala, who to the best of my knowledge is a white, non-Muslim kid from Shakopee (I really have no idea what his ancestry etc. really is), came off the bench to play 31 minutes. Remember he is a walk on, true freshman. He hit 5 of 5 from the field including 3 of 3 from downtown, 1 of 2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, no turnovers, 14 points. What a line considering Monson never really recruited the kid at all until he found that he couldn’t sign anybody else.

Meanwhile the kid he wanted, Brandon Smith, is still in the starting lineup—12 minutes, 3 points.

Other highlights, though—Stamper and Coleman 22 rebounds between them, and Coleman also coming off the bench to play 42 minutes and score 23 points. He also got to the line, and made a respectable 10 for 13 FT (which means the rest of the team was 17 for 36!!!!) He seems to play much better off the bench.

Gophers seem to have played well, just from the box, other than missing a boat load of free throws. They gave up 15 offensive rebounds to ASU but got 13, they gave up 11 steals but only 15 turnovers, shot well.

If Grier and Hargrow don’t come back soon and 100 percent this could be a long year. But this looks like a nice win, and this Abu-Shamala is looking like a great story. I saw him play a couple games at the state tournament last year, and while he is not real quick, he is strong and smart and mentally very tough. And 3 for 3 from downtown last night with no turnovers in 31 minutes in the second month of his college career.

Marc