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In case you hadn’t noticed, the hype-machine has been out in full force regarding Minnesota‘s season-opening matchup against the Louisville Cardinals this weekend.
There really isn’t any point in denying that the storylines regarding Saturday’s first annual “Pitino Bowl” are rich and varied. Both outfits enter the campaign with good talent and high expectations. Add in the father-versus-son subplot along with a sprinkle of shared travel accommodations and you have the makings of a true media bonanza ahead of opening tip.
What has been lost in all the bells and whistles of hoopla is the promise of opportunity. In Minnesota’s case, the opportunity has never been greater.
As you may recall, not much was expected of Minnesota heading into 2013-14. In fact, some experts were tagging the Gophers as potential cellar-dwellers in the always competitive Big Ten. Fast-forward a season and most of those detractors have been silenced.
Minnesota was right in the thick of NCAA Tournament consideration from the start of the season before falling just short of a second-straight trip to the Big Dance. Undaunted, the Gophers proceeded to make a run through the NIT, resulting in some hard-earned hardware for coach Richard Pitino on an April evening at Madison Square Garden.
Naturally, the momentum of their NIT triumph has Minnesota entering the season with high hopes. Four starters return from last year’s 25-win outfit, and expectations are that Pitino’s team will not only make the NCAA Tournament, but possibly stay for a little while.
All of that starts this weekend against another high-powered team coached by the elder Rick Pitino. While announcers will undoubtedly focus on the father-son dynamic of Saturday’s contest, the Gophers will have other thoughts on their minds. Namely, Minnesota wants to make a statement on the national level.
To do so, they’ll need to contain a Louisville squad featuring the likes of Montrezl Harrell, Wayne Blackshear and Chris Jones. The Cardinals feature size, speed and physicality to go along with a dash of nastiness. In other words, they’re a load. And you can bet the younger Pitino will burn that fact into the brains of his team come Saturday.
While the media will continue with flowery interviews focusing on love and respect between the two Pitinos, don’t be surprised if Minnesota is as focused and inspired as they’ve been over the past two seasons. They believe their time is now, and with a veteran cast of performers led by DeAndre Mathieu and Andre Hollins, the Gophers desperately want that trip to the NCAAs in the younger Pitino’s second season with the program.
What Pitino’s team can’t do is put too much into their meeting with the Cardinals. After all, Saturday’s meeting is one of almost 40 games the Gophers will play over the next four months. Nevertheless, few teams have a greater opportunity in their season-opener than Minnesota. And if the Gophers are intent on making this season about an NCAA Tournament-or-bust approach, a good showing against the Cardinals would go a long way toward announcing Minnesota has legitimately arrived on the national scene.
Matt Johnson is a Big Ten basketball writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter at mattytheole or “like” him on Facebook.
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