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Three reasons Minnesota can outperform preseason projections

The Big Ten should be loaded in the 2020 season. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, and Wisconsin are all top-15 teams and Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers are starting the season in the AP top-25 while Indiana is receiving votes.

Teams like Maryland, Minnesota, and Purdue are looking to break into that conversation, but they all have questions to be answered after losing significant contributors from last years teams. All have potential to rise above their projected preseason finishes.

In Minnesota's case, they're ranked 10th according the CBS Sports and 11th according to Big Ten Network and Andy Catz.

CBS Big Ten Preseason Projections
Rank Team

1

Illinois

2

Iowa

3

Wisconsin

4

Michigan State

5

Ohio State

6

Rutgers

7

Indiana

8

Purdue

9

Michigan

10

Minnesota

11

Maryland

12

Penn State

13

Nebraska

14

Northwestern

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The Gophers are returning starters are redshirt junior point gurad Marcus Carr (B1G Honorable Mention) and junior shooting guard Gabe Kalschuer. Filling out the rest of the starting five will be highly touted Drake transfer Liam Robbins at center, Utah transfer and Minnesota native Both Gach, a 6'6" junior will start at wing, and it looks like redshirt senior Eric Curry is healthy and could join them in the starting lineup as well at the four spot.

Off the bench Minnesota returns promising sophomore 6'9" forward Isaiah Ihnen, 6'5 sophomore guard Tre' Williams, 6'6" junior four Jarvis Omersa, and 6'10 sophomore Sam Freeman. Western Michigan graduate transfer Brandon Johnson has a chance to make a big impact off the bench, and possibly even start after averaging 15 and 8 last season.

The freshman most likely to have an impact is 6'2" guard Jamal Mashburn Jr.. He's a talented shooter and has a Big Ten ready body. His ability to play both guard positions can give much needed ball-handling relief to Marcus Carr. 6'10 freshman forward Martice Mitchell and 6'5" guard David Mutaf will have to prove themselves to work their way into the rotation.

In year eight, this is probably the deepest team Richard Pitino has assembled to date, they have two very impressive transfers in Liam Robbins and Both Gach sliding into the starting lineup, and Marcus Carr and Gabe Kalscheur are two proven Big Ten guards.

It seems like Minnesota has the talent to outperform their preseason projection, but there are still several questions to answer about fit with the transfers into the lineup. TGR breaks down three reason this Minnesota team can do that.

Both Gach is the scoring wing Minnesota needed, and he will help improve Gabe Kalscheur's efficiency

Gach averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists at Utah last season and transferred back home to Minnesota after testing the NBA Draft waters. He shot 25% from deep, but shoots it with confidence behind the line. He also shoots over 50% from two point range.

Gach likely moves into the role as the Gophers second or third scoring option along with center Liam Robbins, and that means Gabe Kalscheur is going to get less attention on him defensively. Last year when Kalscheur moved up a rung on the scoring responsibility ladder, his three point percentage dropped to 34.1%. As a freshman he shot 41% from deep as the fourth option behind Amir Coffey, Jordan Murphy, and Daniel Oturu.

Kalscheur will still get plenty of looks from deep on designed pin downs and that spain style pick and roll that Pitino loves to run to get him open threes at the top of the key, but Gach allows him to stick to his strengths and not have to be a creator as much. Gach's ability to handle the ball, and get to the cup can draw help for capable shooters on the outside like Marcus Carr, Jamal Mashburn Jr., Isaiah Ihnen, and of course Gabe Kalscheur. This is a great addition for Pitino and the Minnesota staff, and he should make life for last years returning guards much easier.

Liam Robbins adjusts to Big Ten play and proves he can be a top Big Ten center

Liam Robbins' sophomore season at Drake made him a top player on the transfer market, and his family connection with assistant coach Ed Conroy and coupled with Richard Pitino's development of bigs Daniel Oturu (33rd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft) and Jordan Murphy. The seven-footer averaged 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 2020.

Former Rivals basketball analyst and current Oklahoma City Thunder scout Corey Evans describes Robbins as, "Quite possibly the top NBA Draft prospect in the Missouri Valley last year - will be a factor along the frontline and a major contributor when he eventually sees the court again."

Robbins has high expectations but some big shoes to fill. Gopher center Daniel Oturu averaged over 20 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game last season, the only player to do so. He won't be expected to match that production, but being able to rebound at a solid rate, be the low-post scoring threat he is, and be close to the rim protector he was at Drake should make him a top center in the Big Ten

Jamal Mashburn Jr. can give Marcus Carr a much needed ball-handling break

Marcus Carr played 36.8 minutes per game last season for the Gophers, and was really the only ball-handler or creator on the team. At times, you could see the effect this had on Carr down the stretch. Playing an entire season at this rate is sure to wear you down late, and could have a negative effect on shooting percentages. Pitino hit the recruiting trail and the transfer market to address this problem.

Freshman guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. is an incoming four-star with a sweet stroke that he can hit outside and midrange, an ability to handle and play both guard positions, and brings a bulldog mentality on the defensive end according to David Sisk's scouting report of him. If he's able to play the guard spot around 20 minutes a game, both on the ball and off the ball, that should give Pitino the ability to cut cars minutes to around 32-34 per game to help save his legs down for late game situations.

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