Gophers need to change their mix

That group that Tubby Smith started the last three games, going big? Well, it’s time to stop it. It’s not working.

Never was that more evident than Wednesday night’s 60-57 disheartening loss at Indiana. The Gophers (I hope) proved once and for all that as good a player as Blake Hoffarber is, he’s not a point guard. Tubby has been putting Hoffarber there ever since starting point guard Al Nolen went down with a foot injury on Jan. 22.

It was written here after Nolen broke his foot that it was time for the Gopher to reinvent themselves. Well, Tubby tried that, only he got it wrong. College basketball is a guard’s game. Forgetting that, Tubby tried to make it a big-man’s game and beat people up with his tall and strong group of Trevor Mbakwe, Ralph Sampson III and Colton Iverson. Those three are all nice players, but they leave Minnesota with almost no quickness or outside shooting.

The only perimeter scorer in the starting lineup Wednesday was sweet-stroker Hoffarber. The trouble, though, is that with him being asked to play point guard and set up the team’s offense, he gets away from what he does best. And that’s shoot three-pointers or any shot from beyond 12 feet.

The Gophers are desperate for someone to hit an outside shot. So, it’s time to move freshman Austin Hollins into the starting point-guard spot, and Hoffarber back to his much more natural and effective shooting-guard spot. Hollins isn’t a perfect fit at point guard. He’s more of a two-guard than a point. However, he’s a decent ballhandler who has size and quickness, and can also get you some long-distance baskets.

Minnesota needs to look and act more like a normal basketball team. Having a size advantage down low is nice. But it’s guards who generally win you games, not big guys.

— Pat Ruff