Posted December 31, 2010    

•Jim Dutcher

•Derek Rackley

•Brett Favre

•Adrian Peterson

•Harmon Killebrew

Gophers Must Stop MSU’s Transition Game Today 

Former TV analyst and Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher was clear in his answer when asked by Sports Headliners what Minnesota must do today to defeat Michigan State in East Lansing.  “Defensively, they’ve got to stop Michigan State from getting any transition baskets, either from defensive steals or from fast breaks,” he said.   

“In the half-court Michigan State struggles to score, but you let them get some transition baskets and then they can be really dangerous.  To do that (prevent transition scores), you gotta cut down on your turnovers and be pretty selective on your shot selections.  

“A lot of fast break baskets come from missed threes. They (those three point attempts) rebound out and the other team scoops them up and takes the transition.  So I think if I look at Minnesota, they’ve got to stop the fast break, make Michigan State score in the half-court and just cut down on their turnovers.” 

The nationally No. 14 ranked Gophers, 0-1 in the Big Ten and 11-2 overall, will go against a No. 24 rated Spartans team playing their first conference game after a difficult nonconference schedule that included losses to No.1 Duke, No. 5 Syracuse and No. 13 Texas.  The 8-4 Spartans have not only faced outstanding opponents but a busy schedule that has limited practice time. 

“My little son asked me what I wanted for Christmas,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said.  “I said practice.” 

As of late the Spartans have been getting more of that.  While the Gophers opened their league schedule with a 68-60 loss at Wisconsin on Tuesday night, the Spartans haven’t played a game since December 22 when Texas beat them 67-55 in East Lansing.  

“…Texas really kicked their behinders,” Dutcher said. “I think they will be fired up to play (today). They don’t lose often at home.  I would guess going into the game the spread will be...Michigan State by three or four.”

 

Dutcher Picks Spartans to Finish Second in Big Ten 

Dutcher believes the Gophers could win the game.  “State is not playing well,” he said.  “They’re having trouble scoring.” 

Michigan State is Dutcher’s pick to finish second in the Big Ten.  “It’s hard to judge them because their schedule has been murder,” he said.  

Ohio State is the most talented team and a “step ahead” of everyone else in the league in Dutcher’s opinion. The Gophers, after a home game next Tuesday with Indiana, must play at Ohio State on January 9.   

The Gophers could avoid a lot of anxiety by finishing their first four conference games with at least a 2-2 record.  “They’re talented enough to beat anybody on any given night,” Dutcher said.  “They’ll be a tough out at Williams Arena.” 

In Dutcher’s conference finish predictions, he groups Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota together as teams likely to be right behind Ohio State and Michigan State.  “I think you can just throw a blanket over them (Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota),” he said.   

Wisconsin is next in predicted order. The Badgers are less talented than teams ahead of them including Minnesota, according to Dutcher. 

Northwestern impressed during the nonconference schedule going 9-1 but is likely to finish just behind the Badgers.  Dutcher doesn’t think the Wildcats have the depth to compensate for injuries and foul trouble.  Penn State, Indiana, Michigan and Iowa look like bottom feeders in the conference standings.

 

Worth Noting   

Dutcher’s son Brian is the lead assistant on the San Diego State team that is ranked No. 7 in the country.  “They’re the best team on the West Coast,” Dutcher said.  “They’ve got the talent to go deep in the (NCAA) tournament.” 

Derek Rackley predicted on the Big Ten Network this week that Wisconsin is the surest pick of the conference teams to win its bowl game.  The former Gopher long snapper said:  “I think outside of Oregon and Auburn, they are the most impressive college football team in the country going into the bowl season. …” 

The Rose Bowl is seen as a near “toss-up game” with the No. 4 ranked Badgers playing No. 3 ranked and undefeated TCU.  The Big Ten is 2-0 in bowls so far with Iowa defeating Missouri and Illinois beating Baylor.   

Ohio State, playing against Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, is the only Big Ten team favored to win its bowl game. The most likely conference bowl loser is Northwestern, playing without injured quarterback Dan Persa in the TicketCity Bowl against Texas Tech.  A Michigan State win against Alabama in the Capital One Bowl will be a surprise and so, too, will a Michigan victory over Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl.  Penn State might have a long day against Florida in the Outback Bowl, a farewell game for Gators coach Urban Myer.   

The Big Ten has split 12 bowl games against the SEC in the previous five seasons.  The SEC is considered college football’s best conference.  

Brett Favre, earning $16 million this season, was fined $50,000 for lack of cooperation with the NFL in the Jenn Sterger investigation.  That’s comparable to a $150 fine for a person earning $50,000 annually.  

Detroit’s coaches and players have to believe they can win Sunday’s game at Ford Field against the Vikings, although Minnesota won 24-10 earlier this year and is 19-2 in the last 21 games between the two teams.  The Lions, whose coaching staff includes former Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, can tie the Vikings for last place in the NFC North with a win on Sunday.  The Lions (5-10), who have won three consecutive last games, have been divisional last place finishers three of the past four years. The Vikings (6-9) have never finished in last place in the NFC North but were last in the NFC Central in 1990.            

Adrian Peterson, now completing his fourth NFL season, needs one more career rushing touchdown to become the franchise’s all-time leader.  He’s tied with Bill Brown and Chuck Foreman at 52. 

Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams, 38, told Sports Headliners he’s interested in returning to the team if the franchise wants him back.  

Although the Vikings are having a losing season and the game was moved from Sunday night to Tuesday evening, the Vikings-Eagles game earlier this week on KARE 11 dominated the local TV viewing audience compared with programming on other Minneapolis-St. Paul stations.  The local audience share for the game was at least five times and often 10 times or more the size of the audience watching other stations. 

News came yesterday that Twins Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  He’s being treated at the Mayo Clinic.  Killebrew, on behalf of himself and wife Nita, issued a statement that included this: “I thank everyone for their outpouring of prayers, compassion and concern.  Nita and I ask for privacy during this difficult journey.”

Wild assistant equipment manager Rick Bronwell worked his 1,000th professional hockey game on Wednesday night against the Sharks.

The Wild will have four home games next month, the franchise’s fewest home games ever in January.

 

Adrian Peterson

 Pat Williams

Harmon Killebrew