[BasketballAlum] Newsletter 11/14

[James Kuronen]

Thanks to all of you who made to Williams Arena last Thursday to watch 
us play the Gophers. It was a great experience for our team both in 
creating some memories of playing there and in exposing some of our 
weaknesses to help us get better for the season ahead. For those that 
don't know we lost to Minnesota 78-64. We had a lapse just before 
half-time to go into the locker room down 6 points after playing a 
pretty even first 20 minutes. The second half though Minnesota came out 
and really established themselves with their physical strength and kind 
of wore us down. For the first time in Coach Holquist's or my memory we 
finished a game without and offensive rebound. Minnesota on the other 
hand had 20. They out-rebounded us 38-15. Some of that was because of 
us shooting 60% for the game and there wasn't a lot of rebounds 
available on our offensive end, but a lot of it had to do with strength 
and hustle. We shot 60%, but just didn't get enough shot opportunities. 
We shot 40 times, Minnesota shot 61.

We jump it up tomorrow (11/15) with our season opening game at Bemidji 
State. BSU has lost 3 exhibition games; vs. Missouri (105-56), vs. Iowa 
State (84-77) and vs. Drake University (79-70). They will be very tough 
at home. They have 12 seniors on their roster and are athletic and 
deep. They will favor an uptempo game with as many possessions as 
possible. They out-rebounded all 3 Division I teams they played and 
only lost the last 2 by giving their opponents too many free throw 
attempts. We defeated them last season to open the year 90-77, but they 
are a vastly different team. If we control the tempo of the game, hold 
our own on the glass, and not turn the ball over against their pressure 
we'll have a great opportunity to win the game. If not......it could be 
a long night.

Saturday we travel to Winona to play Winona State who is ranked as high 
as #8 nationally in some pre-season polls. Winona is an explosive 
offensive team who is favored to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate 
Conference. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament 
last spring.

If you haven't received your nominees and ballots for the 75th Year 
Anniversary Team of UMD Basketball, please let me know ASAP and I'll 
make sure you get a mailing. If you haven't gotten yours in the mail 
it's because we have an incorrect address. I've received many of them 
back and are tabulating votes as they come in. Remember February 4th is 
Alumni Weekend when we hope you'll come to Duluth to celebrate the 75th 
year of UMD Basketball.

Go Bulldogs!!

Butch Kuronen
Assistant Basketball Coach
University of Minnesota Duluth
218-726-6199 (office)
218-591-7618 (cell)
jkuronen at d.umn.edu