WATCH: Joe Coleman's winning 360-degree dunk (YouTube)
WATCH: Rodney Williams dunks over Barnyard "animals" Friday (YouTube)
Freshman Joe Coleman won the dunk contest, Tubby Smith came out swinging and the fans where treated to a show from Gopher greats from throughout the years Friday at Williams Arena.
We blogged all night from live courtside Gopher basketball's Midnight Madness event, "Gopher All-Star Friday Night," formerly Tubby's Tipoff. Watch some quick highlights from the event above and check out the blow-by-blow below!
7:50 p.m. The autograph session behind section 115 is winding down, and we're almost ready for lights-out and introductions.
8:10 p.m. Lights are out, and the smoke machines are ready to go. The Gopher dance team is taking the floor for a performance.
8:15 p.m. The players, starting with freshmen, are being introduced with the "Rocky" theme song in the background.
8:25 p.m. Tubby Smith is introduced as the "heavyweight champion of the world." He comes out in a boxing outfit and starts sparring.
8:27 p.m. Now it's the alumni guests' turn. The fans cheer for all of them, and Trent Tucker gets probably the loudest ovation.
8:33 p.m. Lights are back on as the team warms up and Tubby gives a little overview of each of them. "This team is ready to blossom," he said. "They've had a great off-season and a great pre-season."
8:49 p.m. Jamal Abu-Shamala and Brent Lawson win the alumni skills competition. Contestants had to dribble around cones, pass off a rebounding-type net, and make a basket.
8:58 p.m. Several current Gophers come close, but none are able to knock down a half court shot to win prizes for the kids they were paired up with. At least the kids get autographed miniature basketballs.
9:09 p.m. After the first round of the three-point contest, Willie Burton and Voshon Lenard each made 10. Burton emerged victorious in the final. He made 11 (including some bank-ins) to Lenard's eight.
9:17 p.m. Big man Ralph Sampson III led all current players with nine triples after the first round. Andre Hollins won the shoot-off with Maverick Ahanmisi to face Ralph in the finals. Ralph bested his first-round total by making 13 to Andre's 11. He'll probably be taking some of those shots during the season if they're open.
9:19 p.m. Time for the contest everyone's been waiting for: the dunk competition. Kevin Lynch, Jeff Hagen, and Trevor Winter will judge.
9:22 p.m. Andre Hollins has had the best display so far, with a 360 dunk.
9:26 p.m. Rodney Williams brings down the house dunking over both a chicken and a pig. Watch video of the dunk here. He proceeds to check the picture on a photographer's camera. Rodney then provides the alley-oop pass for Joe Coleman's dunk.
9:28 p.m. The fans call for Trevor Mbakwe, and the place erupts when he stands up to join the competition. Maverick feeds him a pass off the backboard, which he slams down in typical Mbakwe fashion.
9:30 pm. Joe Coleman is our winner, receiving a combined score of 29 in the championship round to beat Rodney Williams. That was a sweet one-handed 360 dunk.
9:34 p.m. Up next, the current Gophers will play two 10-minute periods of intrasquad basketball. The alumni will play after.
9:37 p.m. The maroon team is on the board after a three from Ahanmisi.
9:39 p.m. Mbakwe gets a three-point play for maroon. Rodney puts gold on the board with a soaring dunk. 6-2, maroon.
9:41 p.m. Mbakwe is an absolute force in the paint. Two more and-ones, and then another dunk. He has 11 points, and maroon is dominating. Tubby is offering commentary on the mike now.
9:46 p.m. Andre Hollins is showing his ability to drive to the basket. He draws a foul and makes both FTs. Then a fast break dunk from Coleman brings gold within six.
9:47 p.m. Maroon leads 18-13 at the end of the first half. Vince Taylor talks to the maroon huddle while Saul Smith leads the gold huddle.
9:51 p.m. An Andre Hollins three makes it 22-16, maroon, with about seven minutes left.
9:57 p.m. It's a closer game now, with maroon up by only four points, 25-21. 1:45 left.
9:58 p.m. Chip Armelin makes a defensive back-like steal that leads to a fast break bucket for gold.
10:00 p.m. Maverick scores, gets a steal, and hits a three for maroon.
10:01 p.m. Our final score is 33-27, maroon. Trevor Mbakwe led all scorers with 15 points. Also for maroon, Maverick Ahanmisi scored 14. Joe Coleman led gold with 12 points. The five-minute alumni game is up next after a short warm-up.
10:08 p.m. The alumni game is underway. The pace is a little slower than the previous game, but these guys could still dominate any pick-up game at a local Y. Voshon Lenard takes his fair share of threes, finally making his last one, and Willie Burton connects on an alley-oop!
10:11 p.m. The maroon team wins a close one, 12-11. It was great to see all those alumni back on the court at the Barn.
10:13 p.m. "Hail Minnesota" plays on the loudspeakers as we wrap things up here. Thanks for joining us tonight, and we hope to see you all at the Barn this season!
WATCH: Rodney Williams dunks over Barnyard "animals" Friday (YouTube)
Freshman Joe Coleman won the dunk contest, Tubby Smith came out swinging and the fans where treated to a show from Gopher greats from throughout the years Friday at Williams Arena.
We blogged all night from live courtside Gopher basketball's Midnight Madness event, "Gopher All-Star Friday Night," formerly Tubby's Tipoff. Watch some quick highlights from the event above and check out the blow-by-blow below!
7:50 p.m. The autograph session behind section 115 is winding down, and we're almost ready for lights-out and introductions.
8:10 p.m. Lights are out, and the smoke machines are ready to go. The Gopher dance team is taking the floor for a performance.
8:15 p.m. The players, starting with freshmen, are being introduced with the "Rocky" theme song in the background.
8:25 p.m. Tubby Smith is introduced as the "heavyweight champion of the world." He comes out in a boxing outfit and starts sparring.
8:27 p.m. Now it's the alumni guests' turn. The fans cheer for all of them, and Trent Tucker gets probably the loudest ovation.
8:33 p.m. Lights are back on as the team warms up and Tubby gives a little overview of each of them. "This team is ready to blossom," he said. "They've had a great off-season and a great pre-season."
8:49 p.m. Jamal Abu-Shamala and Brent Lawson win the alumni skills competition. Contestants had to dribble around cones, pass off a rebounding-type net, and make a basket.
8:58 p.m. Several current Gophers come close, but none are able to knock down a half court shot to win prizes for the kids they were paired up with. At least the kids get autographed miniature basketballs.
9:09 p.m. After the first round of the three-point contest, Willie Burton and Voshon Lenard each made 10. Burton emerged victorious in the final. He made 11 (including some bank-ins) to Lenard's eight.
9:17 p.m. Big man Ralph Sampson III led all current players with nine triples after the first round. Andre Hollins won the shoot-off with Maverick Ahanmisi to face Ralph in the finals. Ralph bested his first-round total by making 13 to Andre's 11. He'll probably be taking some of those shots during the season if they're open.
9:19 p.m. Time for the contest everyone's been waiting for: the dunk competition. Kevin Lynch, Jeff Hagen, and Trevor Winter will judge.
9:22 p.m. Andre Hollins has had the best display so far, with a 360 dunk.
9:26 p.m. Rodney Williams brings down the house dunking over both a chicken and a pig. Watch video of the dunk here. He proceeds to check the picture on a photographer's camera. Rodney then provides the alley-oop pass for Joe Coleman's dunk.
9:28 p.m. The fans call for Trevor Mbakwe, and the place erupts when he stands up to join the competition. Maverick feeds him a pass off the backboard, which he slams down in typical Mbakwe fashion.
9:30 pm. Joe Coleman is our winner, receiving a combined score of 29 in the championship round to beat Rodney Williams. That was a sweet one-handed 360 dunk.
9:34 p.m. Up next, the current Gophers will play two 10-minute periods of intrasquad basketball. The alumni will play after.
9:37 p.m. The maroon team is on the board after a three from Ahanmisi.
9:39 p.m. Mbakwe gets a three-point play for maroon. Rodney puts gold on the board with a soaring dunk. 6-2, maroon.
9:41 p.m. Mbakwe is an absolute force in the paint. Two more and-ones, and then another dunk. He has 11 points, and maroon is dominating. Tubby is offering commentary on the mike now.
9:46 p.m. Andre Hollins is showing his ability to drive to the basket. He draws a foul and makes both FTs. Then a fast break dunk from Coleman brings gold within six.
9:47 p.m. Maroon leads 18-13 at the end of the first half. Vince Taylor talks to the maroon huddle while Saul Smith leads the gold huddle.
9:51 p.m. An Andre Hollins three makes it 22-16, maroon, with about seven minutes left.
9:57 p.m. It's a closer game now, with maroon up by only four points, 25-21. 1:45 left.
9:58 p.m. Chip Armelin makes a defensive back-like steal that leads to a fast break bucket for gold.
10:00 p.m. Maverick scores, gets a steal, and hits a three for maroon.
10:01 p.m. Our final score is 33-27, maroon. Trevor Mbakwe led all scorers with 15 points. Also for maroon, Maverick Ahanmisi scored 14. Joe Coleman led gold with 12 points. The five-minute alumni game is up next after a short warm-up.
10:08 p.m. The alumni game is underway. The pace is a little slower than the previous game, but these guys could still dominate any pick-up game at a local Y. Voshon Lenard takes his fair share of threes, finally making his last one, and Willie Burton connects on an alley-oop!
10:11 p.m. The maroon team wins a close one, 12-11. It was great to see all those alumni back on the court at the Barn.
10:13 p.m. "Hail Minnesota" plays on the loudspeakers as we wrap things up here. Thanks for joining us tonight, and we hope to see you all at the Barn this season!
