Justin Cobbs News

After three-straight losses and a fall from the Top 25, Tubby Smith knew his Minnesota Gophers needed a pick-me-up. "We just let them know that they are winners, that we just need to build them up, and that we believe in them," Smith said.

University of Minnesota starting guards Al Nolen and Lawrence Westbrook said they were benched for the first half of Sunday's loss to Texas AM because they had fought with each other on Saturday.

Damian Johnson had 18 points and No. 22 Minnesota earned its first win away from home this season, beating No.

The starting lineups were being introduced before Friday night's season opener at Williams Arena.

Minnesota coach Tubby Smith turned to his longtime friend and Tennessee Tech coach Mike Sutton, smiled and shrugged.

Q How will the Gophers play with Royce White, Trevor Mbakwe and Devron Bostick out of action indefinitely? A They should be good.

Al Nolen doesn't have to shoot to impact the game. But the Gophers would be a much more dangerous team if they had a scoring threat at point guard.

In the pre-Tubby Smith era, bringing back nearly your entire team wasn't always a good thing.

Athletics director Joel Maturi announced Monday his decision on Mbakwe, who faces a December trial for an alleged attack on a woman in Miami in April.

It's easy for Cory Joseph to imagine playing with his brother in the Gophers' backcourt.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Minnesota 's expectations are heightened in large part due to its four new players.

University of Minnesota men's basketball coach Tubby Smith will unveil his most talented team in three seasons Friday night at Williams Arena.

The Gophers men's basketball team's 2009-10 recruiting class is widely regarded as the program's top incoming group in at least a decade, but that doesn't mean the class is without some concerns.

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