FSN: Up-tempo time for Smith and the Gophers?

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NBA? And he's having trouble beating out Austin and Joe to remain a constant starter.

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One player Smith lauded Monday and has been impressed with since the start of practices is freshman Joe Coleman, a product of Hopkins (Minn.) High School. Coleman is currently the team's leading scorer in practices and scrimmages, and Smith said the freshman has the ability to score in transition.

"He scores so many ways," Smith said of Coleman. "I don't think I've had a player that can transition from defense to offense as well as Joe Coleman. And that's the most important thing is that he wants to do it. He gets out and he goes."

Sophomore guard Austin Hollins, who averaged 4.5 points per game as a freshman last year, has noticed the difference in the pace of play for this year's squad.

"We have so many different combinations that we can put on the floor. And we're a lot more athletic than we were last year, a lot quicker," Hollins said. "I think there's definitely going to be a higher tempo."

No starters…yet: Not surprisingly, Smith said Monday that he's not ready to announce who his starting five will be. Other than the two obvious starters — seniors Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III — the remaining three remain up in the air.

Smith said junior forward Rodney Williams has plenty of work to do to ensure a spot in the starting lineup.

"I think Rodney, he's battling it out with some people," Smith said. "He's got to earn some things that he's got to get done. … The proof is in his shooting. He's got to improve in that area, because if he doesn't, it could be a liability. And he's got to pick it up in the defensive end."
 


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