This is our Monday morning review of what happened in local sports over the weekend. It’s our Selection Monday, per say. Speaking of selections, the Gophers men’s basketball team wasn’t one of 68 teams selected to play in the NCAA Tournament. Minnesota, instead, received the No. 1 overall seed in the National Invitation Tournament.
10. Gophers head coach Richard Pitino said he’s disappointed that his team didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, but he’s excited to play for a championship. Minnesota hosts High Point on Tuesday.
9. The best basketball of the weekend might have been the awesome battles taking place at Target Center in the 2014 Boys’ State Basketball Tournament. Lakeville North, DeLaSalle, Esko and Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa claimed state titles.
8. Rookie center Gorgui Dieng had a breakout game as the Timberwolves clipped the Kings, 104-102 Sunday night.
7. The Gophers men’s hockey team split their weekend series at Michigan. They earned the No. 1-seed in the Big Ten tournament, and they’ll play the winner of Ohio State and Michigan State on Friday at Xcel Energy Center.
6. The Gophers women’s hockey trounced Boston University 5-1 in the NCAA Tournament. Minnesota, the two-time defending national champion, is back in the Frozen Four where they’ll meet Wisconsin on Friday at Ridder Arena.
5. Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway, safety Jamarca Sanford and fullback Jerome Felton all reduced their annual salaries in exchange for more guaranteed money.
4. Ferris State, Minnesota State, Bowling Green and Alaska-Anchorage advanced to the men’s WCHA Final Five.
3. The Twins trimmed their big league roster to 40 players. Check out who didn’t make the cut right here.
2. The Gophers women’s basketball team is on the bubble and they’ll find out tonight if they reach the NCAA Tournament.
1. The Wild lost in a shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Minnesota still holds the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoff race, but just five points separate them and ninth-place Phoenix.
