Gophers freshman guard and second leading scorer Amir Coffey will not start Wednesday's game against LIU Brooklyn.
Coffey suffered a bruised foot in Sunday's win against Northern Illinois, according to a source. He warmed up with the team before Wednesday's game, but he will be replaced in the starting lineup by senior Akeem Springs.
Coffey, who averages 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists, started the first 11 games of the season. Springs will start for the first time in his Minnesota career. The 6-4 graduate transfer from Wisconsin-Milwaukee averages 9.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Coffey opened the season as Minnesota's top scorer and leading freshman in the Big Ten when he had 30 and 19 points in games against St. John's and Arkansas. He scored in double-figures for his first six games, but Coffey was held under double digits in four of his last five games.
Sunday agaisnt Northern Illinois, Coffey had six points, four assists and three steals in 26 minutes.
Springs is averaging 15 points in his last three games, including a season-high 19 points in a win against New Jersey Institute of Technology on Dec. 6.
