With Tubby and a new point guard, Gophers could be a better team next season
By Marcus R. Fuller
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Updated: 03/20/2010 01:06:08 AM CDT
MILWAUKEE — Tubby Smith's Gophers are done with the NCAA tournament, but Tubby Smith is apparently not done with the University of Minnesota.
After the Gophers' 65-54 opening-round loss to Xavier on Friday, the Gophers coach addressed a report that morning by CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd, citing a trusted source, saying Auburn is "close to hiring" him.
"Obviously, it's just talk," Smith said. "I'm very pleased with what we've done here. I'm pleased with where we are in the program. I'm looking forward to coming back next year."
Last season, Smith had an offer from Virginia, but he decided to come back to Minnesota. He had nine players returning from a team that lost to Texas in the first round. Next season, Smith could have nine players returning again, although he's losing senior captains Lawrence Westbrook and Damian Johnson and reserve guard Devron Bostick.
Replacing the first two could be challenging, considering Westbrook was the team's leading scorer (13 points a game) and Johnson was the best defender (averaging about two steals and two blocks a game). But Smith said the pieces are there to fill those spots.
Westbrook agreed.
"There's a lot of good players on this team," he said after scoring a team-high 19 points in Friday's loss. "Blake (Hoffarber) is the second-leading scorer; he's going to have a bigger role. And everybody is. So they're going to have a team effort. It's not my job to say who is going to step up and who is not. Hopefully, everybody works on their game."
In reality, the Gophers do need to add more talent to get to the next level.
After a second straight first-round exit in the NCAA tournament, Smith clearly needs someone other than shooting guard Devoe Joseph filling in at point guard.
Someone like his younger brother, Cory, a McDonald's All-American point guard at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas.
Devoe Joseph raised his level of play to lead the Gophers to their first Big Ten tournament final, averaging 14 points a game to earn all-tournament honors. He did better than expected as a floor leader the last 17 games of this season after starter Al Nolen was declared academically ineligible on Jan. 23.
But Joseph is better suited to play shooting guard. Nolen, mostly a defensive specialist, isn't the playmaker the Gophers need. Backup Justin Cobbs didn't show any signs of being an impact player as a freshman.
Findlay Prep assistant Todd Simon, who watched some of Minnesota's loss to Xavier, said Cory Joseph would be able to be a "franchise guard" for the Gophers or any of the other four programs on his final list: Texas, Villanova, Connecticut and Nevada-Las Vegas.
Simon said Cory is an unbelievable ball-handler with strong basketball IQ and NBA-range three-point shooting ability. He also called him a great defender and a consummate competitor. Simon said he should play as well as or better than Texas' Avery Bradley and Illinois' D.J. Richardson did as freshmen this year. Bradley ranked second on the Longhorns in scoring, at 11.6 points a game. Richardson was Big Ten freshman of the year, averaging 10.6 points.
"He might be the most ready of all of them," Simon said. "D.J. and Cory are cut out the same cloth. They're fiercely competitive. They love being in the gym. They're just phenomenal basketball players. They get it off and on the court. They're not the type of kids that you wonder if they're going to make it or not."
Smith's 2010 recruiting class includes Tennessee guard Austin Hollins and Nebraska center Elliott Eliason, but both could be redshirt candidates next season. The biggest lift for the Gophers could come from players they had hoped would be their biggest additions this season.
Forwards Trevor Mbakwe and Royce White were predicted to be two of the Big Ten's best newcomers inside, but they were suspended for the season because of legal issues. White's future is uncertain after he left the program. Mbakwe could be back next season, but it depends on what happens at his scheduled trial next month for assault charges stemming from a Miami incident a year ago.
If the Gophers have Cory Joseph, White and Mbakwe all playing for them next season, they could contend for a Big Ten title and more, said former Gophers player Spencer Tollackson, now the team's radio analyst.
"What if Trevor comes back? What if Royce is eligible? There are so many question marks at this point in time," Tollackson said. "There's no doubt that if three of those guys or maybe even if two of the three guys are back, I really think this team can get right back here with a better seed."
Smith said he expects Devoe Joseph to be the team's leader next season. Tollackson said he thought it would be "Blake Hoffarber's team."
Although both had big games this season, neither was consistent. The same could be said for sophomore post players Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III, who combined for just nine points on 4-for-15 shooting Friday.
Overall, Smith said there were already players in his program with enough talent to eventually be pretty good, with hard work this offseason. But he said they probably could never be as great as Xavier's Jordan Crawford, who had 28 points Friday.
"I think we do have those types of players," he said. "Maybe not at a Crawford level."
Athletics director Joel Maturi hopes Smith stays around to coach them.
Auburn fired coach Jeff Lebo last week. The Birmingham News reported that Smith was a candidate, and that the school is prepared to significantly increase what it pays its next basketball coach.
Reports also linked Smith to the Oregon job, but he said before the Big Ten tournament that he hadn't been contacted by the Ducks and was looking forward to coaching the Gophers next season.
Maturi said Friday morning that he hadn't been contacted by Auburn or told by Smith that he was leaving. Maturi, who was in Milwaukee with the team, said he still expects Smith to be back next season and was disappointed the report surfaced before the Gophers were about to open the NCAA tournament.
"I've heard the rumors," Maturi said. "But I haven't gotten the call."
