WAIT 'TIL NEXT YEAR, MINN. -- Greetings, gentle readers, and welcome to another year on the Road to Selection Sunday. As I finally warm up to the 2015-16 Gopher basketball season, I do so with no visions of grandeur. For the first time since Tubby Smith's 1st season as Gopher head coach (2007-08), I have zero expectation that the Gophers' season will conclude in the NCAA Tournament.
And you know what? That's OK. After last season's senior-laden U of M squad fell disappointingly short of the NCAA tourney -- or even the opportunity to defend its NIT championship -- Gopher fans probably are ready to see some new blood wearing the maroon & gold.