Minnesota Continues Resurrection, Ready for Finale in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – At first glance, the Minnesota Golden Gophers appear to be a team riddled with bad karma. The list of who's out at times has overshadowed the list of who's in.

The team's best player, Devoe Joseph, was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules last week and did not make the trip to this Caribbean destination for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament.

Starters Colton Iverson and Rodney Williams were disciplined for team violations and have had to work their way back into the good graces of coach Tubby Smith.

And, last February, prized freshman forward Royce White, the state's Mr. Basketball, left without ever playing a game following two brushes with the law.

Despite the chaos, Minnesota has remained steady and focused. It opened this eight-team tourney just outside the AP Top 25 and is considered a contender in the Big Ten. That's not enough.

The Gophers believe they're one of the top programs in the country, and now have the opportunity to win this tournament against West Virginia, a Final Four squad last season, in Sunday's title game.

With a first-round victory over Western Kentucky on Thursday and a signature victory over No. 8 North Carolina on Friday, the Gophers are clicking and digging in for the long haul.

Minnesota has displayed impressive toughness, resiliency and modesty. It believes it has learned from its sins and promises to take control of their decisions, per a challenge by Smith.

Yet, November titles and a national ranking doesn't motivate Minnesota, not in a conference it believes is the best in the country.

"I don't know if the championship is so special," said senior guard and co-captain Blake Hoffarber, who scored a team-high 20 points in the Gophers' 72-67 win over the Tar Heels and is averaging 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the tourney.

"Hopefully, we can just keep winning. We just have to take that approach to it – one game at a time. If we can get the win, keep going onto the next game and keep winning."

Smith says he likes his team's toughness and courage, qualities he knows something about, too.

Smith took over a Gophers program in 2007 that was bruised and battered following NCAA sanctions. He made it competitive again, taking Minnesota to the NIT in his first year and two straight trips to the NCAA tournament.

Last season, Smith directed a depleted roster that was without its top defender -- Al Nolen was ineligible -- to the school's first-ever Big Ten tournament title game appearance. The Gophers lost and then fell in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Not even continuing distractions this year have jarred his confidence.

"I am not a very impressionable-type coach," Smith said. "We're bending but we're not breaking. I think our guys are starting to understand.

"We were fortunate to get started early this year. I said that was very beneficial to us. They got to know each other, guys enjoy each other, they like playing together. That's so important, the chemistry and the makeup of the team, and that's what I see happening now with this group."

The Gophers headed to Canada in early September for a three-game exhibition tour. As part of the tour, the Gophers were allowed 10 practices starting on Aug. 23 per NCAA rules. Minnesota won three games over four days, helping it prepare for the start preseason practice in October.

The Gophers haven't skipped a beat despite player missteps.

Minnesota is shooting 53.3 percent from the field in its two tournament victories, including a tournament record 62.5 percent from the field in the opener against Western Kentucky.

Ralph Sampson III and Trevor Mbakwe, who has made the most of his second chance at Minnesota after being cleared of a year-long felony charge, have anchored the Gophers' physical and deep frontcourt.

"Their size is very effective, especially the way they use it. One gets tired and they bring in the next, so they're always fresh. They're overall very talented. It makes it very difficult."
-- UNC forward Tyler Zeller on Minnesota Sampson III, the son of former Virginia center Ralph Sampson, is playing with renewed confidence. He is averaging 17 points per game in the tourney and his seven blocked shots in the opener against Western Kentucky tied a tournament record.

Mbakwe is averaging 15 points and 9.5 rebounds in the tourney, creating matchup problems because of his toughness and versatility. Maurice Walker is another wide-body who eats up space and minutes.

"Their size is very effective, especially the way they use it," UNC forward Tyler Zeller said. "One gets tired and they bring in the next, so they're always fresh. They're overall very talented. It makes it very difficult."

The Tar Heels shot under 40 percent overall and could never get in an offensive rhythm against Minnesota's switching defenses. UNC coach Roy Williams was thoroughly impressed by the Gophers. West Virginia's Bob Huggins is too after he had a free evening and watched last week's Siena-Minnesota game.

"I like them," Huggins said. "They're athletic. ... Tubby's just got a bunch of guys. They always guard. They don't beat themselves."

While Minnesota's image has taken a beating recently, improvements are being made in that area. And beating the Tar Heels and the Mountaineers in consecutive games would help Minnesota further prove to itself and to fans that it's a good team with good players.

"Games like this are going to do nothing but help us in the future," Mbakwe said. "All the guys were ready, focused, and we knew (UNC) was a big game for the program, and we just came out well and play every game like it's our last."