Basketball Schedule

**chuckd4735** · 05-26-2006, 10:59 AM

In this morning DM Register, there was an article on Clark's status with the team. In this article it mentioned that we would have a non-conference game against either Minnesota or Wisconsin this coming season.

Anyone have any additional information on this???

http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../605260404/1003

**ce1** · 05-26-2006, 12:26 PM

This was in the Ames Tribune yesterday. MN or WI is speculative, all that's been said is that its a Big 10 team.

Pure speculation follows:

From my vantage point here in Minnesota, i'd be very, very surprised if the Gophers agree to play Iowa State. There'a a lot of resentment in the Gopher program for Iowa State coming into Minnesota and stealing players ( Jake, Corey Johnson, Skoglund ??? ), and the U of M doesn't feel there's any upside to playing Iowa State (except for maybe travel costs). The only way the Gopher men's Basketball program would agree to do it is if it was forced upon them by the Athletic Dept.

The U of M Athletic Dept. would only force this game on the basketball program as part of a package deal to get a home-and-home football game lined up with Iowa St. In football, the role is reversed, Minnesota wants to play ISU, but ISU refuses to play MN. Given the murder schedule ISU already plays in the Big 12, adding a second Big 10 team seems to be suicide from a bowl-eligibility (and hence post-season revenue) perspective. But for the U of M, adding an Iowa team for football guarantees a big payout from traveling ISU fans, with the 62,000 seat capacity at the Metrodome (which only gets about 20,000 per non-conference game now).

My guess is that Iowa State says no to a package deal, which is the only way a basketball game could happen. Which leaves Wisconsin as the mystery Big 10 team, if you believe it's either WI or MN. With Pollard's connections in the Big 10, it is conceivable that this is a smokescreen, and there's another team involved though.

Likely WI, probably not MN.

**kindrgtncp** · 05-26-2006, 02:09 PM

FYI, MN is signed and sealed. We'll play there this Fall and they'll come here in 0708.

**chuckd4735** · 05-26-2006, 06:05 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>
FYI, MN is signed and sealed. We'll play there this Fall and they'll come here in 0708.

[/b][/quote]

Again, what is your source of information here???