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<I><A HREF='http://www.clari.net/'>ClariNet</A> <CLARI-ITEM TYPE>story</CLARI-ITEM> <B><CLARI-ITEM SLUGWORD>BKC-LGNS-MBDCAPS-R</CLARI-ITEM></B> from <CLARI-ITEM FROM>Sports Ticker</CLARI-ITEM></I><BR>
<H1><CLARI-ITEM HEADLINE>Minnesota Team Capsule</CLARI-ITEM></H1>
<I><B><CLARI-ITEM COPYRIGHT>Copyright 1997 by SportsTicker Enterprises L.P.</CLARI-ITEM></B></I> / <I><CLARI-ITEM DATE>Tue, 25 Mar 1997 6:51:29 PST</CLARI-ITEM></I><P>
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<H2>SPORTSTICKER COLLEGE BASKETBALL NOTE</H2>
<P>
<P>Nickname: Golden Gophers
Record and Conference Finish: 31-3, (thru Regional Final)</P>
<P>                               1st place in Big 10 Conference</P>
<P>Seed, Region and Bid: 1, Midwest, Automatic
Total NCAA Tournament Bids: 7, First since 1995
NCAA Tournament Record: 12-6 (thru Regional Final)</P>
<P>
<P>How they reached the Final Four:</P>
<PRE>First Round:             Defeated 16th-seeded Southwest Texas State, 78-46
Second Round:            Defeated  9th-seeded Temple, 76-57
Regional Semifinals:     Defeated  4th-seeded Clemson, 90-84 (2 OT)
Regional Finals:         Defeated  2nd-seeded UCLA, 80-72
<P>
</PRE><P>Final Associated Press Ranking:    3rd</P>
<PRE>Final CNN/USA Today Ranking:       3rd
Final RPI Ranking:                 4th
</PRE><P>Final Sagarin Computer Ranking:    4th</P>
<P>Coach: Clem Haskins (17th years, 302-213)
Record at Minnesota: 201-140, 11 years)</P>
<P>
<P>Record over last 10 games: 9-1, won 4 straight</P>
<P>Record vs. 1997 NCAA Tournament teams: 11-2</P>
<PRE>Defeated No. 10 Clemson on December 1st, 75-65         (Neutral)
Defeated Rhode Island on December 17th, 82-72          (Road)
Defeated LIU-Brooklyn on December 28th, 104-84         (Home)
Defeated Wisconsin on January 2nd, 65-48               (Home)
</PRE><P>Defeated No. 11 Indiana on January 8th, 96-91 (OT)     (Road)</P>
<PRE>Lost to Illinois on January 14th, 96-90                (Road)
Defeated Iowa on January 23rd, 66-51                   (Home)
Defeated Purdue on January 25th, 91-68                 (Home)
Defeated Purdue on February 12th, 70-67                (Road)
Defeated Iowa on February 15th, 68-66                  (Road)
Defeated No. 23 Illinois on February 22nd, 67-66       (Home)
Defeated Indiana on March 1st, 75-72                   (Home)
Lost to Wisconsin on March 8th, 66-65                  (Road)
<P>
</PRE><P>(Opponent rankings reflect ranking at time of game)</P>
<P>Last Five NCAA Tournament Records:</P>
<PRE>1995-Lost in first round          (Saint Louis)
1994-Lost in second round         (Louisville)
1990-Lost in regional finals      (Georgia Tech)
</PRE><P>1989-Lost in regional semifinals  (Duke)
1982-Lost in regional semifinals  (Louisville)</P>
<P>
<P>Best NCAA Tournament Finish: 1990, Regional Finals</P>
<P>Starters: (Updated stats thru Regional Final)</P>
<PRE>F-Sam Jacobson        (6-6, Jr., 13.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 40.7 3pt%)
F-Courtney James      (6-8, So., 8.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
C-John Thomas         (6-9, Sr., 9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
G-Eric Harris         (6-3, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 3.9 apg)
G-Bobby Jackson       (6-1, Sr., 15.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.9 apg)
<P>
</PRE><P>Top Reserves: (Updated stats thru Regional Final)</P>
<PRE>G-Quincy Lewis        (6-7, Fr., 8.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
G-Charles Thomas      (6-4, So., 7.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg)
C-Trevor Winter       (7-0, Sr., 3.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
F-Miles Tarver        (6-8, So., 1.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
<P>
</PRE><P>Outlook: This is not the little team that could, this is the big team that
can.  The Gophers, as a TEAM, played their way to the Final Four.  Every time
Minnesota needed a big effort, it got one.  Lewis came off the bench and showed
the way to beat UCLA was in the paint without Jelani McCoy.  Jackson carried
the Gophers past Clemson in a brutal regional semifinal game, scoring 36 points
in the process.  Minnesota has maintained its nine-man rotation throughout the
NCAA Tournament and its diverse weapons continue to befuddle opponents.
Kentucky, however, has seen this team before and knows how to combat it.  The
key matchup comes at small forward, where Jacobson faces off against Ron Mercer.
Jacobson, who has been steady thus far offensively, needs to come up with a
good game on the defensive side against Mercer, who can hit from anywhere.  In
addition, he will have to work on offense to get himself shots.  When Jacobson
tires, Lewis likely draws the assignment and the two must make Mercer work on
the defensive end, which means running him through a barrage of screens.  The
backcourt of Jackson and Harris must hang onto the ball.  The Gophers have not
committed 20 turnovers in a game since committing 31 miscues in a streetball
game in December against Long Island.  That has to continue in order for
Minnesota to advance.  The frontcourt of James and John Thomas have to control
the glass and at 275 pounds, James must make himself a spaceeater in the paint
on defense.  Bottom line...this is a bunch that wins as a team and loses as
a team.  All nine players that see significant playing time have to be on
the ball to knock off the defending champions.</P>
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