University of Minnesota Athletics
2002-2003 Golden Gopher Men's Basketball Season Outlook
11/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Senior Kevin Burleson |
"If you would have told me three years ago that we would have qualified for the NIT two straight seasons and were within a couple of points of a Big Ten title, I would have taken it in a heartbeat," Monson said.
In Monson's three seasons, the Gophers have increased their win total in the Big Ten from four wins in 1999-2000 to five wins in 2000-01 to nine wins last season. But, with the development of a program come higher expectations and the Gopher faithful were disappointed in the near-misses of last season. No one said it was going to be a smooth ride and teams sometimes struggle when put into unfamiliar situations.
"No one was disappointed in the way some of our close games ended last season more than our players and our staff," said Monson. "We led the league in scoring offense, in field goal percentage, in field goal percentage defense, but we also led the league in giving up leads in the final minutes of games. Our team has used that as motivation in the offseason."
Minnesota returns three starters and eight letterwinners from a squad that finished 18-13 overall and 9-7 in the Big Ten. A closer look at the roster reveals some experienced depth for the first time in the Monson era, but only one senior that has been in the program longer than one season.
| Senior Jerry Holman |
Cohesiveness will not be a problem in the Minnesota frontcourt. The Golden Gophers return one of the most impressive groups in the country that is long on talent and depth.
Leading the way will be All-American candidate and 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Rick Rickert. Rickert will be the centerpiece Monson will build around this season. He split time last season between center and forward and quickly established himself as one of the top players in the Big Ten, if not the country. He led the team with a 14.2 points per game average and was second in rebounds with a 5.2 rebounds per game average. He led all conference freshmen in scoring (11th overall) and was fourth among all players in scoring during conference action at 15.5 ppg. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring 26 points vs. Penn State on Jan. 30 and 27 points vs. Indiana on Feb. 2. He was the first freshman to earn the honor since Luke Recker received the award at Indiana in 1998. In all, Rickert tallied more than 20 points in six games and reached double figures in 23-of-31 games.
Rickert's 441 points was the most scored by a freshman in school history and his 14.2 scoring average also was tops by a Golden Gopher freshman in a season.
"There's no doubt Rick was one of the best players in this conference last season," said Monson. "But, he still has a lot to work on and he understands that. He needs to work hard in the weight room and realize that every team will key on him this year. He will be a marked man, but Rick's the kind of player who loves a challenge."
| Sophomore Rick Rickert |
With his elastic-band reach, Holman quickly became a crowd favorite in Williams Arena as he swatted away opponents' shots and deflected their passes. But, what really brought the Gopher faithful to their feet was Holman's rim-rattling dunks.
"Jerry is an extremely talented player who needs to play with a passion night-in and night-out," said Monson. "When Jerry plays with a fire, he can dominate a game. We saw it at times last season. He needs to learn how to bring it every game."
Holman led the team in blocks with 43, field goal percentage at .554 and dunks with 31. He finished fifth in all games in field goal percentage and in league games at .573 (63-110). He averaged 8.8 points in just 21.5 minutes of action per game. Defensively, Holman finished third in conference games, averaging 1.62 blocks per contest and was fifth overall (1.39 bpg). Holman's best game was in the first round of the NIT against New Mexico when he recorded 22 points, seven boards, one block and two steals - all in 19 minutes. The Gophers were 10-2 when Holman scored in double figures last season.
The final member of the frontcourt triumvirate is Michael Bauer. Last season, the redshirt junior was virtually injury free for the first time in his career and will benefit from a whole offseason in the weight room and playing in summer leagues.
"We're excited that Mike finally didn't have offseason surgery," said Monson. "For the first time since coming here, he's had a full summer spent working on his strength and his game. We're a much better team when Mike Bauer is 100 percent healthy."
At 6-8, Bauer can step out and knock down threes. He can post-up at the offensive end and can block shots and bang on the inside on the defensive end of the floor. He shot 42 percent from three-point range in conference play last season, and when Bauer scored in double figures, the Golden Gophers were 13-4. He currently stands 10th on the all-time three-pointers made list with 79.
Depth is not a concern in the frontcourt for the Gophers. Five players will vie for playing time behind the three returnees, but only one - Steve Esselink - saw action for the Maroon and Gold last season. Esselink played in 29 games in 2001-02 and averaged 2.3 points per game. Esselink has the top shooting range of any Golden Gopher, hitting on 43 percent of his three attempts last season. Esselink earned a scholarship after transferring from Augustana College prior to the 2000-01 season.
| Junior Michael Bauer |
Sophomore Jeff Hagen was redshirted last season after being forced to play as an untested, walk-on freshman in 2000-01. He used his redshirt year to increase his strength and overall game. His 6-11, 265-pound frame will add some much-needed bulk to the Gophers' Big Ten battles this season.
"Jeff Hagen has made the most progress of anyone in our program over the past year," said Monson. "He will be much more prepared to play in the Big Ten this season as a redshirt sophomore than he was as a freshman walk-on."
Sophomore Matt Smriga sat out last season after transferring from Kent State, and at 6-8, 255 pounds, is another big body the Gophers lacked last season.
Two newcomers will also compete for playing time along the Minnesota frontline. Stan Gaines, a 6-7, 226-pound freshman forward from Chicago and Aliou Kane, a 6-9, 243-pound forward/center from Dallas are two highly-touted recruits to add to the frontcourt arsenal. Gaines, the Class A Player of the Year in Illinois last season, is an extremely athletic swing forward who can fill up a highlight show in a few short minutes. Kane, a consensus top 100 player coming out of high school, is a raw, but physically-gifted post player who has played organized basketball for only three years in the United States since coming to this country from Mauritania, Africa. Kane gets better every time he touches the court.
"We were a little thin, literally and figuratively, last season along the frontline," said Monson. "With the addition of Hagen, Smriga, Kane and Gaines, we've added the bulk a team needs when they go on the road in the Big Ten Conference."
The Minnesota backcourt returns three letterwinners and two transfers who have Division I experience. Fifth-year senior Kevin Burleson will provide leadership in the backcourt after starting 19-of-31 games and leading the team with 146 assists last season. His 146 assists was the fourth-best single-season total in Gopher basketball history.
Burleson played the majority of time at point guard last season will see action at both guard positions again this season. He has played in 90 career games and ranks fifth on the career three-point field goals list with 111 and eighth on the career assists list with 280. Burleson was fourth in the Big Ten overall in assists and finished fifth in conference games with 68 helpers. KB was second in the Big Ten in all games with a 2.52 assist-to-turnover ratio (146 asst. vs. 58 turnovers). Burleson also ranked 11th overall with 1.39 steals per game.
"We're counting on KB to be a leader this season," said Monson. "He's been here for five years and has been through the wars. He adjusted pretty well to playing the point last season and that should only help him coming into this year."
Maurice Hargrow and Aaron Robinson were indoctrinated to the Big Ten as freshmen last year and their roles will increase in their sophomore seasons.
Hargrow averaged 3.6 points in only 10.0 minutes per contest. He has a quick first step and can pull up and hit the jump shot or take the ball to the goal. Hargrow has benefited from an offseason in the weight room, adding 12 pounds to his 6-4 frame.
Robinson is a good on-the-ball defender and is the only true point guard on the team. He changes the tempo of the game, pushing the ball up the floor at a quicker pace and harassing opponents into turnovers. Robinson played in 25 games last season.
"Both Moe and Aaron were thrust into difficult situations last season," said Monson. "In the short term, it was a challenge, but it will only help their experience level and our team down the road."
Junior Ben Johnson will compete for a starting spot after sitting out last season after transferring from Big Ten rival Northwestern. Johnson gives the Gophers another backcourt scorer after averaging in double figures at Nortwestern his first two seasons. He led the Wildcats in scoring as a freshman, becoming the fourth freshman in school history to accomplish that feat. Johnson averaged 32.9 minutes as a freshman and 31.9 minutes as a sophomore so he is familiar with the physical demands of the Big Ten.
Johnson has three-point range, can pull up off the dribble and knock down the mid-range jumper, or take the ball all the way to the rack. He also has 147 assists in his career.
"With Ben, we get a proven Big Ten player," said Monson. "We also get a competitor who doesn't take to losing very well. He worked extremely hard on his game last season and we're excited to have him in a Gopher uniform."
Another Division I transfer who will add depth to the backcourt this season is Brent Lawson. Lawson is a strong defender who transferred from St. Francis of Pennsylvania.
The only newcomer to the backcourt is junior college transfer Kris Collins from Collin County Community College in San Antonio, Texas. Collins led his team in scoring, assists and steals last season, averaging 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
| Head Coach Dan Monson |
The schedule this year again is a challenging one. The nonconference slate is highlighted by matchups against preseason top 25 teams Georgia (Nov. 30 - Williams Arena), at Oregon (Dec. 22) and Texas Tech (Dec. 28 - Williams Arena). In addition, the Gophers draw Georgia Tech in the annual ACC/BigTen Challenge, Dec. 4, at Williams Arena on ESPN. One of seven appearances for the Golden Gophers on national television this season.
After critics pronounced the Big Ten to be "down" last season, the Conference sent a team to the Final Four for the fourth straight year. It was the fourth different Big Ten team to reach the Final Four during that span. Minnesota plays Indiana (away), Ohio State (away), Purdue (home) and Iowa (home) only once this season.
"We've upgraded the nonconference schedule again this season," said Monson. "We have some marquee matchups that we're looking forward to. And the Big Ten, every single year, is one of the top conferences in the country."
| Senior Kevin Burleson |
"If you would have told me three years ago that we would have qualified for the NIT two straight seasons and were within a couple of points of a Big Ten title, I would have taken it in a heartbeat," Monson said.
In Monson's three seasons, the Gophers have increased their win total in the Big Ten from four wins in 1999-2000 to five wins in 2000-01 to nine wins last season. But, with the development of a program come higher expectations and the Gopher faithful were disappointed in the near-misses of last season. No one said it was going to be a smooth ride and teams sometimes struggle when put into unfamiliar situations.
"No one was disappointed in the way some of our close games ended last season more than our players and our staff," said Monson. "We led the league in scoring offense, in field goal percentage, in field goal percentage defense, but we also led the league in giving up leads in the final minutes of games. Our team has used that as motivation in the offseason."
Minnesota returns three starters and eight letterwinners from a squad that finished 18-13 overall and 9-7 in the Big Ten. A closer look at the roster reveals some experienced depth for the first time in the Monson era, but only one senior that has been in the program longer than one season.
| Senior Jerry Holman |
Cohesiveness will not be a problem in the Minnesota frontcourt. The Golden Gophers return one of the most impressive groups in the country that is long on talent and depth.
Leading the way will be All-American candidate and 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Rick Rickert. Rickert will be the centerpiece Monson will build around this season. He split time last season between center and forward and quickly established himself as one of the top players in the Big Ten, if not the country. He led the team with a 14.2 points per game average and was second in rebounds with a 5.2 rebounds per game average. He led all conference freshmen in scoring (11th overall) and was fourth among all players in scoring during conference action at 15.5 ppg. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring 26 points vs. Penn State on Jan. 30 and 27 points vs. Indiana on Feb. 2. He was the first freshman to earn the honor since Luke Recker received the award at Indiana in 1998. In all, Rickert tallied more than 20 points in six games and reached double figures in 23-of-31 games.
Rickert's 441 points was the most scored by a freshman in school history and his 14.2 scoring average also was tops by a Golden Gopher freshman in a season.
"There's no doubt Rick was one of the best players in this conference last season," said Monson. "But, he still has a lot to work on and he understands that. He needs to work hard in the weight room and realize that every team will key on him this year. He will be a marked man, but Rick's the kind of player who loves a challenge."
| Sophomore Rick Rickert |
With his elastic-band reach, Holman quickly became a crowd favorite in Williams Arena as he swatted away opponents' shots and deflected their passes. But, what really brought the Gopher faithful to their feet was Holman's rim-rattling dunks.
"Jerry is an extremely talented player who needs to play with a passion night-in and night-out," said Monson. "When Jerry plays with a fire, he can dominate a game. We saw it at times last season. He needs to learn how to bring it every game."
Holman led the team in blocks with 43, field goal percentage at .554 and dunks with 31. He finished fifth in all games in field goal percentage and in league games at .573 (63-110). He averaged 8.8 points in just 21.5 minutes of action per game. Defensively, Holman finished third in conference games, averaging 1.62 blocks per contest and was fifth overall (1.39 bpg). Holman's best game was in the first round of the NIT against New Mexico when he recorded 22 points, seven boards, one block and two steals - all in 19 minutes. The Gophers were 10-2 when Holman scored in double figures last season.
The final member of the frontcourt triumvirate is Michael Bauer. Last season, the redshirt junior was virtually injury free for the first time in his career and will benefit from a whole offseason in the weight room and playing in summer leagues.
"We're excited that Mike finally didn't have offseason surgery," said Monson. "For the first time since coming here, he's had a full summer spent working on his strength and his game. We're a much better team when Mike Bauer is 100 percent healthy."
At 6-8, Bauer can step out and knock down threes. He can post-up at the offensive end and can block shots and bang on the inside on the defensive end of the floor. He shot 42 percent from three-point range in conference play last season, and when Bauer scored in double figures, the Golden Gophers were 13-4. He currently stands 10th on the all-time three-pointers made list with 79.
Depth is not a concern in the frontcourt for the Gophers. Five players will vie for playing time behind the three returnees, but only one - Steve Esselink - saw action for the Maroon and Gold last season. Esselink played in 29 games in 2001-02 and averaged 2.3 points per game. Esselink has the top shooting range of any Golden Gopher, hitting on 43 percent of his three attempts last season. Esselink earned a scholarship after transferring from Augustana College prior to the 2000-01 season.
| Junior Michael Bauer |
Sophomore Jeff Hagen was redshirted last season after being forced to play as an untested, walk-on freshman in 2000-01. He used his redshirt year to increase his strength and overall game. His 6-11, 265-pound frame will add some much-needed bulk to the Gophers' Big Ten battles this season.
"Jeff Hagen has made the most progress of anyone in our program over the past year," said Monson. "He will be much more prepared to play in the Big Ten this season as a redshirt sophomore than he was as a freshman walk-on."
Sophomore Matt Smriga sat out last season after transferring from Kent State, and at 6-8, 255 pounds, is another big body the Gophers lacked last season.
Two newcomers will also compete for playing time along the Minnesota frontline. Stan Gaines, a 6-7, 226-pound freshman forward from Chicago and Aliou Kane, a 6-9, 243-pound forward/center from Dallas are two highly-touted recruits to add to the frontcourt arsenal. Gaines, the Class A Player of the Year in Illinois last season, is an extremely athletic swing forward who can fill up a highlight show in a few short minutes. Kane, a consensus top 100 player coming out of high school, is a raw, but physically-gifted post player who has played organized basketball for only three years in the United States since coming to this country from Mauritania, Africa. Kane gets better every time he touches the court.
"We were a little thin, literally and figuratively, last season along the frontline," said Monson. "With the addition of Hagen, Smriga, Kane and Gaines, we've added the bulk a team needs when they go on the road in the Big Ten Conference."
The Minnesota backcourt returns three letterwinners and two transfers who have Division I experience. Fifth-year senior Kevin Burleson will provide leadership in the backcourt after starting 19-of-31 games and leading the team with 146 assists last season. His 146 assists was the fourth-best single-season total in Gopher basketball history.
Burleson played the majority of time at point guard last season will see action at both guard positions again this season. He has played in 90 career games and ranks fifth on the career three-point field goals list with 111 and eighth on the career assists list with 280. Burleson was fourth in the Big Ten overall in assists and finished fifth in conference games with 68 helpers. KB was second in the Big Ten in all games with a 2.52 assist-to-turnover ratio (146 asst. vs. 58 turnovers). Burleson also ranked 11th overall with 1.39 steals per game.
"We're counting on KB to be a leader this season," said Monson. "He's been here for five years and has been through the wars. He adjusted pretty well to playing the point last season and that should only help him coming into this year."
Maurice Hargrow and Aaron Robinson were indoctrinated to the Big Ten as freshmen last year and their roles will increase in their sophomore seasons.
Hargrow averaged 3.6 points in only 10.0 minutes per contest. He has a quick first step and can pull up and hit the jump shot or take the ball to the goal. Hargrow has benefited from an offseason in the weight room, adding 12 pounds to his 6-4 frame.
Robinson is a good on-the-ball defender and is the only true point guard on the team. He changes the tempo of the game, pushing the ball up the floor at a quicker pace and harassing opponents into turnovers. Robinson played in 25 games last season.
"Both Moe and Aaron were thrust into difficult situations last season," said Monson. "In the short term, it was a challenge, but it will only help their experience level and our team down the road."
Junior Ben Johnson will compete for a starting spot after sitting out last season after transferring from Big Ten rival Northwestern. Johnson gives the Gophers another backcourt scorer after averaging in double figures at Nortwestern his first two seasons. He led the Wildcats in scoring as a freshman, becoming the fourth freshman in school history to accomplish that feat. Johnson averaged 32.9 minutes as a freshman and 31.9 minutes as a sophomore so he is familiar with the physical demands of the Big Ten.
Johnson has three-point range, can pull up off the dribble and knock down the mid-range jumper, or take the ball all the way to the rack. He also has 147 assists in his career.
"With Ben, we get a proven Big Ten player," said Monson. "We also get a competitor who doesn't take to losing very well. He worked extremely hard on his game last season and we're excited to have him in a Gopher uniform."
Another Division I transfer who will add depth to the backcourt this season is Brent Lawson. Lawson is a strong defender who transferred from St. Francis of Pennsylvania.
The only newcomer to the backcourt is junior college transfer Kris Collins from Collin County Community College in San Antonio, Texas. Collins led his team in scoring, assists and steals last season, averaging 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
| Head Coach Dan Monson |
The schedule this year again is a challenging one. The nonconference slate is highlighted by matchups against preseason top 25 teams Georgia (Nov. 30 - Williams Arena), at Oregon (Dec. 22) and Texas Tech (Dec. 28 - Williams Arena). In addition, the Gophers draw Georgia Tech in the annual ACC/BigTen Challenge, Dec. 4, at Williams Arena on ESPN. One of seven appearances for the Golden Gophers on national television this season.
After critics pronounced the Big Ten to be "down" last season, the Conference sent a team to the Final Four for the fourth straight year. It was the fourth different Big Ten team to reach the Final Four during that span. Minnesota plays Indiana (away), Ohio State (away), Purdue (home) and Iowa (home) only once this season.
"We've upgraded the nonconference schedule again this season," said Monson. "We have some marquee matchups that we're looking forward to. And the Big Ten, every single year, is one of the top conferences in the country."
