Gophers Coach Medved Takes High Road Amid Criticism Over Refereeing Decisions
In a game marred by questionable officiating, Minnesota Golden Gophers coach Niko Medved chose to keep his focus on his team's performance rather than criticizing the referees. The loss to Southern California in overtime was fueled by several disputed calls, including a non-foul on Chad Baker-Mazara with 10 seconds left that saw him make the game-tying and game-winning free throws.
Medved declined to single out any individual referee for blame, instead choosing to examine his own team's defense on the critical play. "They set a high ball screen for him, and we needed to show and try to keep him out of the lane," Medved explained. The path to Baker-Mazara was clear, but his ability to capitalize on it ultimately decided the game.
The coach also pointed out that the Gophers had struggled with foul trouble throughout the evening, which made their loss even more difficult to swallow. Isaac Asuma's ejection after a contentious non-foul call with four minutes left in regulation was particularly galling for Medved, who believes the loss of his guard was a crucial blow.
Medved showed a level head and professionalism that has become a hallmark of his coaching style. Rather than resorting to scapegoating or complaining about officiating decisions, he chose to focus on what his team could do better in the future. "Isaac fouling out at the end really hurt us," Medved said. "Another guy who can make a shot." By taking the high road and maintaining a calm demeanor, Medved demonstrated that even in the face of adversity, he remains committed to finding solutions rather than dwelling on mistakes.
The loss left the Gophers with a 3-1 record in Big Ten play, a far cry from their goal of starting the conference season at 4-1. Despite the setbacks, coach Medved showed optimism and focus, particularly in the wake of an impressive performance by incoming freshman Cedric Tomes, who scored 50 points in a high school game just last week.
As Medved acknowledged, "That was fun to see... He's quick. He's confident." With players like Tomes on the rise, the Gophers' future looks brighter, but for now, they must regroup and refocus after a tough loss at home.
In a game marred by questionable officiating, Minnesota Golden Gophers coach Niko Medved chose to keep his focus on his team's performance rather than criticizing the referees. The loss to Southern California in overtime was fueled by several disputed calls, including a non-foul on Chad Baker-Mazara with 10 seconds left that saw him make the game-tying and game-winning free throws.
Medved declined to single out any individual referee for blame, instead choosing to examine his own team's defense on the critical play. "They set a high ball screen for him, and we needed to show and try to keep him out of the lane," Medved explained. The path to Baker-Mazara was clear, but his ability to capitalize on it ultimately decided the game.
The coach also pointed out that the Gophers had struggled with foul trouble throughout the evening, which made their loss even more difficult to swallow. Isaac Asuma's ejection after a contentious non-foul call with four minutes left in regulation was particularly galling for Medved, who believes the loss of his guard was a crucial blow.
Medved showed a level head and professionalism that has become a hallmark of his coaching style. Rather than resorting to scapegoating or complaining about officiating decisions, he chose to focus on what his team could do better in the future. "Isaac fouling out at the end really hurt us," Medved said. "Another guy who can make a shot." By taking the high road and maintaining a calm demeanor, Medved demonstrated that even in the face of adversity, he remains committed to finding solutions rather than dwelling on mistakes.
The loss left the Gophers with a 3-1 record in Big Ten play, a far cry from their goal of starting the conference season at 4-1. Despite the setbacks, coach Medved showed optimism and focus, particularly in the wake of an impressive performance by incoming freshman Cedric Tomes, who scored 50 points in a high school game just last week.
As Medved acknowledged, "That was fun to see... He's quick. He's confident." With players like Tomes on the rise, the Gophers' future looks brighter, but for now, they must regroup and refocus after a tough loss at home.
. He's like, "Hey guys, we messed up, let's learn from it". You can't blame the dude for getting frustrated, but he chose to lift each other up instead of tearing down his own team. That's what I call a coach with class 
. And you know what's even more impressive? He's not just talking about Cedric Tomes being "quick" and "confident"... he's actually seeing that potential in his team 
. We might not see the Gophers start Big Ten play 4-1, but they've got this... Medved knows how to build a culture of resilience 
.
. I mean, you can't blame him for getting salty about those bad calls, but instead of going nuclear, he chose to take the high road 
. And let's be honest, it's not easy to keep your cool when you're getting destroyed on the court 
. But Coach Medved showed that he's a class act, and I think that bodes well for his team's future 
. Now, can we get more players like Cedric Tomes coming in and making waves? 
he could've easily roasted those refs but instead chooses to focus on what his team can improve on - defense lol like anyone else woulda freaked out big time Medved's got that calm demeanor going on which makes him look way more impressive than a hot-headed coach who'd probably get fired after one bad game 
I mean, can't they just get it right?! The fact that they messed up calls like that is super demotivating for the Gophers. But Medved's response? Classy as always 
. The kid's got game, though! Cedric Tomes is like a phenom, I'm so hyped for his future 
i love how he's always so calm and professional, even when things don't go their way 
50 points in high school already? what can you say?! 
. Let's hope the Gophers can bounce back from this one and keep their momentum going 
!
like what even is the point of having a forum if people just gonna post whatever and expect everyone else to catch it?
I was expecting him to lose it over those bad refs but he just kept his cool and focused on what his team can improve 
He's right, they did get destroyed by foul trouble, that was a major blow. Cedric Tomes though, what a talent! 50 points in one game? That's insane 
. But nope, Coach keeps it chill, points to his own team's defense, and says "hey guys, we can do better" 
.
. Now, I'm kinda curious to see how this Cedric Tomes kid is gonna do for the Gophers 
. Maybe he'll turn their season around 
, especially when those refs are clearly out of control! The thing that's got me thinking though, is why couldn't the Gophers' players just talk to the refs and get some clarification on those non-calls? That would've saved Medved from all the stress 
. On a lighter note, Cedric Tomes sounds like a beast 
meanwhile baker-mazara just got a free pass to win the game and its like, what even is that? coach medved is right tho, we gotta focus on our defense and get better at not getting fouled out. and cedric tomes is a GAME CHANGER, i'm hyped for his future