When we look back in February or March, Tubby Smith's team could have more quality wins this early in the year than any other team. (Jeff Hanisch/US PRESSWIRE)

I’m going to have to follow suit with the rest of the group this morning and continue giving Minnesota some love.

Primarily, I’m going to do that because they’re 5-0 and their five wins have come against opponents with an average KenPom.com ranking of 70.6. (I hope you don’t mind me leaning on Pomeroy’s numbers; we all should quite often).

Do I consider Minnesota a true regular-season Big Ten title contender? No. Not yet. Eventually, I could be swayed, though. Going to have to see a lot more from this group before I can land there.

As far as the early-season goes, though, they look good. Quite good. The ledger looks even better when you consider Western Kentucky and Wofford look to have a good chance of making The Tournament, and you already know the book on UNC and West Virginia. The fifth win, Siena, isn’t as impressive because Siena’s so down, but nonetheless the Saints are currently ranked higher than WKU and Wofford.

You toss in the lack of Devoe Joseph (who no doubt makes this team even more dynamic, offensively) and the hot start is further boosted by the team’s depth. Eight players are averaging double-digit minutes, and the ninth (Mo Walker) is going to be heard from in some relevant capacity this season, I’m sure.

This is all something fresh after last season’s Gophers team couldn’t ever get things truly going. Yes, Tubby Smith very quietly coached his team to The Tournament, but do you remember all that much about last season, save for Royce White making regrettable YouTube confession videos?

There are pieces — Al Nolen with the tools to be one of the best point guards at the school in years; Blake Hoffarber as an always-looming threat from deep (even way deep); Trevor Mbakwe playing at an All-Big Ten First Team level; and Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III’s paint play coming into bloom — that make it really hard to not love this team when you watch them play for 40 minutes.

In general I have a no-knee-jerk-November rule. So I can’t get too high on these guys just yet. But I like what I’m seeing. I’m seeing growth, evolution from last season. Can’t say that about North Carolina yet.

Coincidentally, perhaps appropriately, that’s the latest scalp Minnesota’s claimed.