Trevor Mbakwe Reinstated to Gopher Men’s Basketball Team
by GopherNation on Aug 12, 2010 5:53 PM CDT
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PrintYAY, some good news for Gopher basketball fans...The Miami-Dade State's Attorney's Office announced today that Trevor Mbakwe has agreed to an offer to take part in a pre-trial intervention program and that the pending case against him will not proceed to trial.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said that enrollment in the program "is not an admission of guilt nor is it a plea." Mbakwe has maintained his innocence in the matter from the outset.
According to the State's Attorney's Office, all charges against Mbakwe will be dropped upon his successful completion of the program.
Minnesota director of athletics Joel Maturi said that today's announcement by the Miami-Dade State's Attorney's Office constitutes a satisfactory resolution to the matter and that Mbakwe will be immediately reinstated to compete as a member of the Gopher men's basketball team. Mbakwe was held out of competition during the Gophers' 2009-10 campaign.
"This process has been difficult and I am relieved it is finally being resolved," Maturi said. "It's now time to move on and I am glad that he is going to have an opportunity to be a member of our basketball program with two years of eligibility remaining."
Head men's basketball coach Tubby Smith is currently out of town but will soon meet with Mbakwe to determine his future role with the program. Maturi said that his reinstatement would make him eligible to begin practicing with the team on Aug. 21, when the Gophers begin preparations for their tour of Canada, which begins the first week of September.
This is great news. Now we just have to hope that Mbakwe wants to remain with the team. I don't think this will be an issue considering he wouldn't be eligible to play this year because of transfer rules and he is also out of redshirting years so a transfer would burn up a year of eligibility (I think). Having Mbakwe on the team next season dramatically alters the outlook for the season. Final Four? Not a chance. Sweet 16? Outside chance if we get the right matchups. This will will make us much better at a position of great need.
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This makes us legitimate Big Ten contenders....
Not necessarily saying we will win the conference, but it definitely makes us extremely competitive. The starting five, depending upon Nolen’s situation could be fantastic. How many teams can match up with Nolen, Joseph, Williams, Mbakwe, and Sampson III? That is an very, very athletic starting five. Our bench probably won’t be as deep last year but its still respectable. We could go undefeated in the non conference if we play well against the likes of Siena, North Carolina, etc. This makes me want the start of basketball season to come so much more, assuming of course, Mbakwe actually ends up playing but I was there last year for the Tip Off and the man is a beast.
Hoffarber will start
Nolen or Williams off the bench. Not a lot of depth – Nolen/Williams and Iverson. A 7 man rotation will get pretty tired playing TubbyBall so the freshmen are going to have to pick up the slack.
starting lineup will be interesting
I don’t think there is anyway Nolen doesn’t start. He is our PG and the best PG on the roster. I know he doesn’t score but Tubby valued defense, he will start.
PG – Nolen
SG – Joseph or Hoffarber
SF – Hoffarber or Williams
PF – Mbakwe
C – Sampson
I wouldn’t at all be shocked to see Joseph coming off the bench. Hoffarber could as well but our season kind of turned around last year when he was inserted back into the starting lineup. My guess would be Joseph coming off the bench but his minutes will be very high and he’ll finish most games.
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by GopherNation on Aug 13, 2010 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Guard Rotation
Nolen / Hoffarber makes sense as an offense / defense play and Joseph / Williams is a pretty athletic attack. I think it makes a lot of sense to keep those guys together as much as possible.
Iverson should be able to back up both big spots with little to no dropoff.
The biggest problem is the lack of depth. Opposing teams will be looking to draw contact and get the Gophers into foul trouble. Tubby needs to use the non-conference games to develop his freshmen.
Hollins and Walker (Combined) Will Get 20-25 Mins PT
The top 7 guys will get (collectively) 160 mins PT maybe 175.
The other frosh and walk-ons split 10-15 mins (total).
by FortyYearCatFan on Aug 13, 2010 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions
That would be ideal
What happens if they start hacking instead of playing defense?
Then Somebody Else Plays
If all are eligible, Gophers will have 5 F – 4 C – 7 G on the roster this season.
3 of the 16 are walk-ons.
by FortyYearCatFan on Aug 14, 2010 6:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Not Necessarily
Gophers have a good mix of veterans and freshmen this year.
by FortyYearCatFan on Aug 14, 2010 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions
The Likes Of North Carolina?
UNC is a tough opponent any year.
by FortyYearCatFan on Aug 12, 2010 6:54 PM CDT reply actions
I Am So Proud Of This Young Man...
He did something that is extraordinary and quite unusual these days; he exhibited patience and loyalty through some very difficult times. I commend his efforts and steadfast resolve. I am certain that he will be a significant boost to his team. GO GOPHERS!
well...
he did say he isn’t sure if he’s going to stay or not. While I believe he will stay, I’ll withhold commending his loyalty until he says so.
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by GopherNation on Aug 13, 2010 8:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Definitely Maybe...
I think this puts us in the preseason poll top 20. It’s been a few years since we’ve been in the preseason top 20. Exciting!
I care more about postseason poll
No one is getting Rubio's rights unless they pry them from our cold dead fingers.
by TheEvilProfessor on Aug 13, 2010 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions
maybe
nobody is going to be real high on the gophers to start the year.
I do believe this finally gives us one player who is at least capable of being a legit All-Big Ten guy. We haven’t had that in a while.
what you say here can, and will, be used against you The Daily Gopher
by GopherNation on Aug 13, 2010 9:38 AM CDT up reply actions
What makes everyone so sure...
…that Mbakwe is a can’t miss guy? It isn’t like he lit the world on fire at Marquette—not saying he should have as a freshman, but he didn’t make it on the court much there. He hasn’t played a D1 game in 3 years.
I think most people vastly undervalued the contributions of Damian Johnson. I don’t expect Mbakwe to be as much of an asset as DJ was to our team.
fair question
but mostly it is the reports that he (and White when he was allowed to practice) were the two best player on the practice floor last year. He’s also dominating the summer league.
Even look back to Marquette. He was injured very early his freshman year and was granted a medical redshirt. But they chose to play him in the last several games to help them win some games. I think that says a lot.
I don’t know how many points he’ll score but I firmly believe he’ll lead the team in rebounds and be a force defensively. He just brings some toughness in the paint that we are missing.
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by GopherNation on Aug 14, 2010 9:52 PM CDT up reply actions
at this point in his career
he has damn near an NBA type body. That can bang in any college conference. The gophers haven’t had a real PF in a long time. We always put in a face up 3 or a converted 5 who isn’t very quick. We have given up that short range offensive game because we never had anyone to run it that wouldn’t be pushed over.
No one is getting Rubio's rights unless they pry them from our cold dead fingers.
by TheEvilProfessor on Aug 15, 2010 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Looks like he decided to stay!
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/08/mbakwe-says-on-his-facebook-pa.html
Hope he can put his legal troubles behind him and that he can stay on the straight and narrow for two (not one, which seems to be his MO) Gopher seasons.
Not really surprising though since he’d be down to one year of eligibility somewhere else.
From Myron's Tubby STrib interview
“Right now, [I’d start] Ralph, Colton, Devoe, Blake [Hoffarber] and probably, Rodney.”
I almost feel like Smith has to say this
as those are his returning main contributors from last year. Anyone who wants to supplant them needs to outplay them during the exhibition schedule. Which Mbakwe will. So it is kind of a moot point because Tubby will let his players play and poise determine the rotations. He was just letting everyone know who had put the on court time in.
No one is getting Rubio's rights unless they pry them from our cold dead fingers.
by TheEvilProfessor on Aug 23, 2010 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions
notice how he left our Nolen too?
Anyone who didn’t see the court at the end of the year is not at the top of the depth chart right now.
No one is getting Rubio's rights unless they pry them from our cold dead fingers.
by TheEvilProfessor on Aug 23, 2010 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions
That Quote Was Given In JUNE
Myron was very late to post his Q&A with Tubby.
I think those 5 plus Mbakwe and Nolen will share 160 to 175 minutes PT with the 5 or 6 freshmen sharing 25 to 40 minutes PT (per game, average).
by FortyYearCatFan on Aug 23, 2010 2:54 PM CDT reply actions
you are right about the top 7 guys
but 5 or 6 freshmen will not be playing. My bet is that Hollins and Walker see PT this year and that is probably it. Maybe Armelin but I doubt it. Maverick will play only if Tubby absolutely has to play him.
Your top 10 guys will be…
Joseph
Hoffarber
Nolen
Williams
Mbakwe
Sampson
Iverson
Hollins
Walker
Dawson
what you say here can, and will, be used against you The Daily Gopher
by GopherNation on Aug 24, 2010 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I Agree With That
I meant COLLECTIVELY ALL of the freshmen will see 25+ minutes with Hollins and Walker getting 20 of those 25+.
Dawson is a freshman (eligibility) but sophomore in classroom.
by FortyYearCatFan on Aug 24, 2010 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions
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