NCAA Basketball: Ok State, Va Tech, and Minnesota among Sean Pedulla’s top 8
By Ian Mumm
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Golden Gophers have been desperately trying to find success on the court under Richard Pitino. A pair of trips to the NCAA tournament and three seasons with 20+ wins have provided flashes for the Minnesota fan base to grasp at, but there has been a struggle to maintain any sense of overall consistency on a year-to-year basis. Roster turnover and depth have been the biggest hurdles in the way of that happening.
Junior guard Marcus Carr entertained the NBA Draft this offseason but is unlikely to be back for his senior season. The move opens the door for incoming freshman Jamal Mashburn Jr. to take the reigns of the program in 2021, but again depth around him will be an issue. Pairing him with Sean Pedulla gives Coach Pitino a strong backcourt duo to move forward with.
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Of the two, Pedulla looks to carry more of the same skills and potential that Carr displayed with the program. He is the natural offensive creator and rebounds very well for his position. He scores the ball at a high rate and could command a lot of the offensive load for Minnesota. He fits in very well with the Gophers.