Cullen Russo was originally recruited by Tubby Smith and Vince Taylor, and is now hearing from Ben Johnson.
Cullen Russo, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward from New Mexico (NM) JC, is a name that many Gopher fans might recall. He was recruited by Tubby Smith and the Gophers while in high school and is now back on the U’s radar. Russo played for the Minnesota Pump N Run 17-and-under team and transferred to Charlotte (NC) Southern Tech Prep Academy after playing at Quakerdale Prep in Iowa. He spent his freshman year at College of Southern Idaho, where he averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game as the Golden Eagles finished 27-5.
Russo has led New Mexico to a 21-7 mark as he is averaging 12.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocked shots per game.
The well-traveled big man talked to GopherHole.com about the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How has New Mexico been so far?
Cullen Russo: It has been good. Coming up on the end of the season. Just trying to get everything right for the tournament.
Gopher Hole: You have won nine of your last ten games. How pleased are you with how well you have been playing the team lately?
Cullen Russo: I think that we have been playing really good. I feel that we have been digging deep and coming together, getting over adversity. We put ourselves in tough situations in a couple of games and had to step up and make some big plays.
Gopher Hole: I saw that Monday you had a 19 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime win over Midland. How about your own individual play? How pleased have you been with that?
Cullen Russo: I try to just make plays when I can. I don’t even notice that I scored that many points or grabbed that many rebounds. I am just out there trying to play as hard as I can and help my team do whatever I can to get the “W.”
Gopher Hole: Last year, you were at CSI. How come you left College of Southern Idaho?
Cullen Russo: Jeremy Cox, the head coach there, left to become an assistant at Southern Mississippi, so when I found out that (current New Mexico JC head coach) James Miller was one of the guys that was applying for the job out there. New Mexico was one of the first places that I had set up visits to last year. I thought it would be a good opportunity to play for him and wouldn’t have to worry about meeting a new coach or anything. Then I found out that he didn’t get the job and I had met the new coach at Southern Idaho and we didn’t really click, so I talked to my mom and a couple of family members and decided that it was best for me to come out to New Mexico.
Gopher Hole: Are you pleased with the move, though?
Cullen Russo: Oh, yes. Couldn’t be happier. Having one of my better years of basketball and having the best year I have had in the class room, so I am definitely happy that I came out here.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on college recruitment?
Cullen Russo: I am still hearing from new schools. Washington State came in on that last game against Midland. I am continuing to hear from Minnesota, Fresno State and Texas Tech. I’m blanking out on the others.
Gopher Hole: What offers do you have right now?
Cullen Russo: As of right now, I don’t have any.
Gopher Hole: Are many of the schools that have been looking at you, schools that have followed you for some time or are they newer schools?
Cullen Russo: Texas Tech has always been following me because of Tubby (Smith) and Coach (Vince) Taylor. I know the guys and they were following me when they were at Minnesota. I can’t say that Minnesota has been following me for a while now, but I think that they were following me a little bit last year and I just heard from Fresno State this year.
Gopher Hole: You have been at four different schools the last four years. Do you think that has helped you or hurt you as a player?
Cullen Russo: I think that has helped me a lot. I get to travel around and play against different parts of the country. Different players and different styles, so I think that has helped me a lot more than it has hurt me.
Gopher Hole: You mentioned Minnesota. What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Cullen Russo: They are just continuing to talk to me. Just going through the recruiting process. Coach (Ben) Johnson has been out here and we have talked about how my recruitment is. How I see Minnesota and what I am looking for in a school?
Gopher Hole: Do you think that they might extend an offer to you?
Cullen Russo: You never know. I’m just trying to continue to play hard and if they do, that is great.
Gopher Hole: Would you like to play closer to home? Does that matter to you much? You’ve been away from home the past four years, so it probably isn’t as big a deal to go away from home than if you had been in Minnesota.
Cullen Russo: Yes. It is not a major “Hey, I want to play at home,” but there are definitely a lot good things about going back home and playing, A lot of family members can finally watch me play. My great grandmother is 91 and she has always wanted to see me play and that would be really cool to go back home and her be at a game. That would be really cool to come back home.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to play for Minnesota, the homestate school?
Cullen Russo: That would just mean a lot. A lot of guys in Minnesota don’t. We typically don’t get a lot of our guys from Minnesota who get to go to Minnesota, so that would mean a lot to me to be able to represent my homestate and play there.
Gopher Hole: Is your mom living in New Mexico then?
Cullen Russo: No, she moved out to Arizona.
Gopher Hole: She is not super far away. Does that help you having her somewhat nearby?
Cullen Russo: Yes, it does a little bit. I have been away from her for the last three years, though. It is kind of easier being away from her now, but it helps that she is closer.
Gopher Hole: Has she had a chance to get to many of your games?
Cullen Russo: She will actually be at her first game this Monday for Sophomore Night. She had back surgery, so she wasn’t able to make any of the games, so this will be her first time.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to make any visits to any college campuses at all?
Cullen Russo: No, I haven’t. We were planning on the past few days going to the Baylor-Texas Tech game, but the situation with a ride didn’t end up working out. Hopefully, I can get out to a few schools and see what it is like.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about trying to take some visits after the season is done?
Cullen Russo: Yes, once the season is over, I am going to give that my attention and figure out what are the best schools for me and go from there. Right now, I am focus on trying to get to Hutch (Hutchinson, Kansas, the home of the NJCAA Tournament).
Gopher Hole: It seems like most junior college basketball coaches, if their players don’t sign in the fall, want their players to focus on the season and then afterwards worry about recruiting. Is that what you are trying to do?
Cullen Russo: Yes, definitely. I didn’t sign early, so I am just trying to focus on the season.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that Minnesota would be one of those schools that you try to take an official visit to?
Cullen Russo: Yes, definitely. That will definitely be a place to visit.
Gopher Hole: How much the junior college experience, especially playing in a tough conference like you are, has helped you improve as a player?
Cullen Russo: I think that it has helped me a lot. I have been playing against junior colleges for the last four years since I was at Quakerdale and we played against junior college players. I think that it has helped me a lot. You get to learn what the game is like and where your body has to be at. It helps you to see the difference in the players that are out there.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that will help you when you move onto a four-year school because the typical freshman hasn’t learned as much as you learned over the past few years? Do you think that will help you make more of an immediate impact than if you had been a freshman going to a Division I school?
Cullen Russo: Yes, I think that it will help me. I’m glad that I got the experience from junior college because as a freshman, I wouldn’t have been ready. Mentally and physically, I wouldn’t have been ready coming out of high school. Having those years of experience on my back has helped me.
Gopher Hole: A lot of Minnesota fans haven’t seen for a long time since you have gone. How much has your game changed and in what ways do you think that your game has changed the most?
Cullen Russo: I think that now my game is just more versatile. In the past, I would run the floor, get up and down and get out in the fast break. Now, I can create my own shot and get to the basket. That is the biggest difference.