Gophers basketball: What we know after 3-0 start
Marcus Carr matched a career-high with 35 points as the Gophers men's basketball team opened the 2020-21 season with a 99-69 win over UW-Green Bay Wednesday night at Williams Arena. ((credit: University of Minnesota))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team is off to a 3-0 start after opening with wins over UW-Green Bay, and twice over Loyola Maramount.
The latest came Monday night, when Marcus Carr hit a step back 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds to play to lead the Gophers past LMU 67-64. Carr has been the best overall player through three games, but several others have stepped into key roles in the team’s 3-0 start.
Here’s what we know about the Gophers as they have home games against North Dakota, Boston College and Missouri-Kansas City before starting Big Ten play at Illinois Dec. 15.
Marcus Carr is a star
Marcus Carr has been the best player on the floor through three games, and on Tuesday he was named to the Top 50 watch list for the John R. Wooden Award. Carr scored 22 of his 26 points in the second half against LMU Monday night, including the game-winning step back 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left.
Carr scored 35 in Minnesota’s season-opening win over UW-Green Bay, and followed it with 28 in the first win over LMU. Every time the Gophers have needed a big shot, Carr has it in him.
Both Gach, Jamal Mashburn Jr. making an immediate impact
Austin native and Utah transfer hasn’t wasted much time in making an impact for the Gophers. He’s scored in double figures in all three wins, and gives Minnesota another guard/wing combo to attack the rim. He’s not afraid to shoot from the perimeter, and made several hustle plays in Monday night’s win over LMU. The junior has been impressive through three games, and the Gophers will need more from him when Big Ten play starts.
We’ve seen flashes of Jamal Mashburn Jr.’s potential. The top player of the 2020 recruiting class, his only points Monday came on a key 3-pointer in the second half. He’s just a freshman, but he’s not afraid to go to the basket, take shots and gives the Gophers another ball-handler when Carr needs a breather.
Gophers plagued by foul trouble
We haven’t seen a lot of transfers Liam Robbins and Brandon Johnson yet. Robbins has had limited minutes due to foul trouble, and Johnson is coming back from an ankle injury. Both fouled out of Monday night’s game as 49 fouls were called between the Gophers and LMU. Robbins has shown the potential to make shots from the perimeter and can rebound, but needs to play more physical without fouling and defend better to have an impact in Big Ten play. Robbins has had to sit the first half in all three games with two fouls, and had three Monday night.
Gabe Kalscheur’s tough shooting start
Gabe Kalscheur has had to make his presence felt in different ways through three games. He’s just 1-for-12 from the perimeter, and 10-for-36 on the season so far. He missed his first seven shots from the perimeter against UW-Green Bay, and went 0-for-4 from the perimeter Monday night. He did, however, make clutch free throws late in the second half, and made big defensive plays before Carr’s clutch shot. The Gophers need Kalscheur to make shots, but he also usually defends the opponent’s best player. That’s a tough combination, but a challenge he embraces.
Eric Curry looks healthy
It’s just good to see Eric Curry on a basketball court playing. That hasn’t happened much over the last three years. Curry started the season-opener, and had four points, three rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes. He had four points and two rebounds in Game 1 against LMU, then had six points and three rebounds in 24 minutes Monday night. Any production he can add for the Gophers is a positive after three injury-plagued years.
There’s plenty of work to do, but while other Division I teams are having close calls or losing games to lesser teams, the Gophers are 3-0.