Mbakwe's absence no small thing for Gophers
Posted: Monday, November 02, 2009 8:01 PM
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Big Ten
In case you missed it, Minnesota basketball is relevant again.
Entering his third season, Tubby Smith’s molded his team into something Kentucky fans would recognize – a strong defensive unit that relies on winning low-scoring games because it doesn’t shoot well. Still, the Gophers return all five starters from an NCAA tournament team, which was enough to land in the preseason polls.
In short, the Gophers should be good this season. But they could be a March darkhorse if a few player issues are resolved.
Andy King/AP |
Trevor Mbakwe dunks during Minnesota practice.
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Bryant Allen (a punt returned for the Minnesota football team) is the all-time leading scorer in Missouri prep history, but won’t be with the team until football season is over. So he’ll be a late addition. Dominique Dawson is a 6-7, 240-pound walk-on who could play spot minutes, but will probably be more important in later seasons.
But the biggest key is Trevor Mbakwe.
The school announced Monday that the junior forward (who transferred from Miami Dade College and Marquette) won’t play until his pending court case on a felony battery charge “has been resolved in a satisfactory manner.” That means he’ll miss most of the Gophers’ early games, including a potential showdown with Butler in the 76 Classic.
Mbakwe, along with freshman Royce White, are Minnesota’s two best newcomers. Both are expected to see serious playing time and possibly start. But until Mbakwe’s eligible, the Gophers are going to be missing that little something extra that could be the difference between an NCAA tournament and an NCAA tournament run.
Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.
