Gophers #19. Iowa Assistant Coach Chad Walthall

The #19 Gophers (ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll) will now travel to Iowa City on Thursday to face off against a young Hawkeye team.  We know a lot about our Gophers squad but I wanted to get Iowa's perspective on their own performance this year so I asked Iowa Assistant Coach, and Minnesota native, Chad Walthall a few questions.

Club Tubby:  

You have a relatively young team this season, with only 5 upper classmen, how have the younger players handled the intensity of the Big Ten so far?  In your opinion, what is the most difficult aspect for young players to adapt to playing in the Big Ten?

Coach Walthall:

I believe the young players have handled things very well with all the new things thrown at them in the first year.  At times there will be growing pains that go along with first year players but overall we have been very pleased.  I think the most difficult thing anytime you are playing a very young and new to the program team is consistency running your system day in and day out.

Club Tubby:

The Gophers had problems with rebounding in their loss this year to Michigan State.  In the losses the Hawkeyes have had this year what has been the team's biggest weakness, or area that they need to improve in?

Coach Walthall:

I think we need to be a little bit more consistent on the defensive side of the floor.  We have had moments where we have been very good and at certain times we forget to continue to do those things that helped us play well.  When we play consistent on that side of the floor we have had good success.

Club Tubby:

You are from Minnesota and took runner-up in state in 1986.  Was the state championship game played in the Barn?  Did you grow up as a Gopher fan?  Minnesota's big rivals are Iowa and Wisconsin, who are Iowa's biggest rivals in basketball?

Coach Walthall:

I actually did not have the opportunity to play in the Barn during the state tournament because it was our turn (class A - it was a 2 class system in those days) to play at the Civic Center.  I did though get to play at the Barn in the Minnesota All-Star Game and that was a great experience.  It has always been one of my all time favorite arenas.  Such a great environment and of course I was a huge Gopher fan.  Grew up watching Mychal Thompson, Kevin McHale, Trent Tucker, Darryl Mitchell, Gary Holmes, Randy Brewer, Mark Hall, etc.  Biggest rival is pretty much the same as the Gophers but you could probably add Iowa State as well.

Club Tubby wants to thank Coach Walthall for his comments.  

The Gophers come into the matchup with the Hawkeyes averaging 73.1 points per game, while the Hawkeyes come in averaging 64.7 points per game.  The Gophers gather more rebounds than the Hawkeyes; Minnesota 35.7 per game, Iowa 29.0 per game.  However the Hawkeyes' leading rebounder Cyrus Tate is pulling down 6.7 rebounds per game followed by Matt Gatens (3.9 rebounds per game).  The Gophers leader is Colton Iverson with 4.4 rebounds per game, followed by Al Nolen and Damian Johnson (both 3.9 rebounds per game).  If the Gophers keep Tate off the glass and apply consistent pressure on the defensive end they should leave their first Big Ten road game with a 'W'.