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via the Big 10:
An interview with:
TUBBY SMITH
THE MODERATOR: Now we have
Minnesota head Coach Tubby Smith. He is
entering his sixth season with the Gophers and
returns 4 starters and 11 letter winners from last
year's team.
TUBBY SMITH: Good morning. First, it's
another year to see where we are in our program
and our team and I like the sound of having 11
returning players. Certainly we believe we've got a
good nucleus to be able to compete with anybody
in the Big Ten. So we've got to stay healthy and if
we do that I think we will have a good chance.
Q. Tubby with Williams' performance in
the NIT has he turned the corner from great
athlete, good player to consistent player and
potentially great player?
TUBBY SMITH: When you put the tag or
label "great" on someone, it's tough -- but Rodney
has the capability. I think he has turned the
corner, he did everything for us last year,
rebounding, blocked shots, steals, he was an
all-purpose player. When we switched him to the
power forward spot after Trevor went down and we
were trying a lot of different combinations, that's
when he stepped up and became more
comfortable playing that role for us. Another thing
is he's in great shape and I think you're right, there
are things he's worked extremely hard over the last
year and probably the last season was his
condition and his strength.
I see him making that next step to not just
being a good player, but being a dominant player
for us, and carrying the role of being a leader on
the team, not just a great athlete. I think that's
where Rodney has grown, in that area, as far as
leadership is concerned.
Q. With Trevor's legal status being
clarified last Friday, can you explain what his
status is with you guys as you go forward into
the season?
TUBBY SMITH: Trevor Mbakwe had a DUI
back in the summer and had been suspended for a
few weeks and had some requirements, that
affected another area and he's on probation for
another two years, but through it all, Trevor is a
fine young man, hell, I've never had a problem with
him on the basketball court or in practice or in the
classroom. He's graduated, he's working on his
Masters degree.
I think with stability in his life and now that
he's over recovering from his knee surgery, there
are a lot of things that he had to deal with last year,
and I think he has that under control, both mental
and physically. I think he's in the right place. He's
a guy that will bring a real inside presence. Last
year we struggled rebounding the ball and Trevor
is one of the best rebounders I've ever seen, the
best I've ever coached so we expect him to step in
and contribute. He's looking good in practice. Icing
his knee down before and after practice is
beneficial to him, he has a brace. He has gone
through our practices full-tilt.
At this juncture he will be able to step in
and contribute, but we're going to bring him along
slowly to make sure that his knee is completely
healthy.
Q. There is anticipation with the league
this year, five teams in the top-25. Do you have
any thoughts on how many teams would be
appropriate for the NCAA Tournament if all
goes well?
TUBBY SMITH: Well, we had, what, six or
seven last year and I would imagine with the depth
and the strength of this league, of the Big Ten, with
so many talented players and so many good
teams, we're going to be in a position to have more
than we had in the past, I would think, selected to
play in the NCAAs, let's hope we're one of those
teams. We have expectations going forward this
year.
We're looking forward to putting ourselves
in that position, and that takes winning. I think the
conference is well positioned with all the teams we
have and I think everybody has really improved
October 25, 2012
visit our archives at asapsports.com
T. Smith - 10.25.12 2
themselves and certainly with Indiana being the
number one team in the country and certainly we
had three teams that were tied for first last year
and all of those teams are back with pretty good
players.
I think you will see more teams than we
have ever had in NCAA Tournament.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach,
best of luck this year.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
An interview with:
TUBBY SMITH
THE MODERATOR: Now we have
Minnesota head Coach Tubby Smith. He is
entering his sixth season with the Gophers and
returns 4 starters and 11 letter winners from last
year's team.
TUBBY SMITH: Good morning. First, it's
another year to see where we are in our program
and our team and I like the sound of having 11
returning players. Certainly we believe we've got a
good nucleus to be able to compete with anybody
in the Big Ten. So we've got to stay healthy and if
we do that I think we will have a good chance.
Q. Tubby with Williams' performance in
the NIT has he turned the corner from great
athlete, good player to consistent player and
potentially great player?
TUBBY SMITH: When you put the tag or
label "great" on someone, it's tough -- but Rodney
has the capability. I think he has turned the
corner, he did everything for us last year,
rebounding, blocked shots, steals, he was an
all-purpose player. When we switched him to the
power forward spot after Trevor went down and we
were trying a lot of different combinations, that's
when he stepped up and became more
comfortable playing that role for us. Another thing
is he's in great shape and I think you're right, there
are things he's worked extremely hard over the last
year and probably the last season was his
condition and his strength.
I see him making that next step to not just
being a good player, but being a dominant player
for us, and carrying the role of being a leader on
the team, not just a great athlete. I think that's
where Rodney has grown, in that area, as far as
leadership is concerned.
Q. With Trevor's legal status being
clarified last Friday, can you explain what his
status is with you guys as you go forward into
the season?
TUBBY SMITH: Trevor Mbakwe had a DUI
back in the summer and had been suspended for a
few weeks and had some requirements, that
affected another area and he's on probation for
another two years, but through it all, Trevor is a
fine young man, hell, I've never had a problem with
him on the basketball court or in practice or in the
classroom. He's graduated, he's working on his
Masters degree.
I think with stability in his life and now that
he's over recovering from his knee surgery, there
are a lot of things that he had to deal with last year,
and I think he has that under control, both mental
and physically. I think he's in the right place. He's
a guy that will bring a real inside presence. Last
year we struggled rebounding the ball and Trevor
is one of the best rebounders I've ever seen, the
best I've ever coached so we expect him to step in
and contribute. He's looking good in practice. Icing
his knee down before and after practice is
beneficial to him, he has a brace. He has gone
through our practices full-tilt.
At this juncture he will be able to step in
and contribute, but we're going to bring him along
slowly to make sure that his knee is completely
healthy.
Q. There is anticipation with the league
this year, five teams in the top-25. Do you have
any thoughts on how many teams would be
appropriate for the NCAA Tournament if all
goes well?
TUBBY SMITH: Well, we had, what, six or
seven last year and I would imagine with the depth
and the strength of this league, of the Big Ten, with
so many talented players and so many good
teams, we're going to be in a position to have more
than we had in the past, I would think, selected to
play in the NCAAs, let's hope we're one of those
teams. We have expectations going forward this
year.
We're looking forward to putting ourselves
in that position, and that takes winning. I think the
conference is well positioned with all the teams we
have and I think everybody has really improved
October 25, 2012
visit our archives at asapsports.com
T. Smith - 10.25.12 2
themselves and certainly with Indiana being the
number one team in the country and certainly we
had three teams that were tied for first last year
and all of those teams are back with pretty good
players.
I think you will see more teams than we
have ever had in NCAA Tournament.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach,
best of luck this year.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
