Recent content from Marcus Fuller
Disconnected Gophers display their flaws in 20-point loss to Iowa
A disturbing Gophers' narrative continued in a humbling loss. "There are stretches out there where we're not connected offensively or defensively," senior captain Michael Hurt said.
Coffey, other early departures for NBA, hurting Big Ten's overall depth
Players declaring early for the NBA often go undrafted, and in the Big Ten, rosters are feeling the impact of the lost talent. "You got a broken system here," Purdue coach Matt Painter said.
Carr stars in Gophers' wire-to-wire win over Clemson
Point guard Marcus Carr could do no wrong on the court Monday. The only blemish on his night was when he almost got hurt celebrating a teammate's success.
Pitino: Tough schedule keeping Gophers from building needed depth
Part of coach Richard Pitino not relying on his bench is because of the lack of experience, with four freshmen and a sophomore. But there's more to the issue.
Opportunities slip from Gophers' receivers grasp
After a big Gophers play to open Saturday's game, the Badgers contained Minnesota's big-play receivers.
More questions arise after Gophers lose to DePaul at Williams Arena
Daniel Oturu finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds but the Gophers shot just 34% from the field, and dropped to 0-4 against high-major conference teams.
U basketball fills schedule with strong opponents to treat fans, test players
The question the Gophers have yet to answer this season is this: Can they beat a high-major opponent?
Gophers football player O'Brien will have surgery Wednesday
It's not known yet whether Casey O'Brien will be with the team for Saturday's game against Wisconsin.
Gophers climb to No. 8 in College Football Playoff rankings
After slipping to No. 10 last week, the Gophers moved back up after beating Northwestern.
Hometown hero: Omersa stars off bench as U smacks North Dakota
For Minnesota native Jarvis Omersa of Orono, what happened Sunday night is the sort of thing he imagined when he decided to play for the Gophers.
Gophers men's basketball team favors attack from afar
The Gophers lead the Big Ten with 10.6 three-point baskets per game. They have made 93 three-pointers in five game (compared to 53 last season) and attempted 147 (93 last season).
Threes for all: Gophers use historic long-range success to pummel Central Michigan
Last season, the Gophers were among the worst in the nation in shooting three-pointers. On Thursday at the Barn, they hit the second most in team history.
Garcia chooses Marquette, says 'he felt like part of the family'
The 6-foot-11 forward from Prior Lake, who listed Minnesota among his final four schools, is the sixth state high school player in the class of 2020 to commit to a Division I program elsewhere.
Gophers tackle losing: On the court and in recruiting Minnesota's best
Richard Pitino's team will try to break a three-game losing streak tonight, one day after Prior Lake's Dawson Garcia became the latest Minnesota star to leave the state instead of accepting an offer from the U.
Gophers' comeback bid against Utes falls short
The Gophers gave up the first 16 points, and spent the rest of the night trying to come back — pulling within one — but ultimately never did take the lead, losing their third game in a row, 73-69 to Utah.
Gophers basketball counting more on a trio of Minnesotans
The all-Minnesota signing day class two years ago of Daniel Oturu, Gabe Kalscheur and Jarvis Omersa received more buzz than any other recruiting class in Richard Pitino's tenure.
Poor shooting, turnovers sink Gophers despite Oturu's big game
Despite playing while sick, Daniel Oturu produced 24 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, but he didn't get much help from teammates in a 64-56 loss to Butler.
Gophers freshman Ihnen cleared after wrist injury; doesn't play vs. Butler
Isaiah Ihnen was ranked as a top-100 recruit when he picked Minnesota over Texas Christian and Tennessee, but Gophers fans will have to wait longer than they expected to see him play.
Paint touches: Gophers need to do better at feeding ball inside
Richard Pitino watched the Gophers men's basketball team miss jump shot after jump shot during a scoreless 4½-minute stretch during Saturday's loss to Oklahoma.
Pitino: Gophers' next three-game stretch the hardest in the country
Minnesota has a big test coming, starting Saturday against Oklahoma in Sioux Falls, and continuing with two more tough opponents on the road.
Gophers basketball woos Prior Lake's Garcia, promotes stay-at-home trend
Blue-blood college programs such as Duke and Kentucky often get any player they want, but some recent top recruits have opted to play for home-state schools.
Gophers crush Cleveland State under barrage of threes in opener
Transferss Marcus Carr and Payton Willis combined for 35 points in their first start as the team showed much more three-point prowess than last season.
Pitino's Gophers try to convince skeptics they're still on the rise
Entering Tuesday's season opener against Cleveland State, the Gophers face more skeptics than believers on whether they can sustain last season's success.
For Gophers basketball center Oturu, home is where the heart is
Raised in a family that spent years apart and crossed an ocean before reaching Minnesota, Daniel Oturu calls it "God's work" that he's a Minnesota-grown talent playing for the hometown Gophers.
Steveson remains suspended as Gophers wrestling season begins
A Hennepin County investigation into Gophers standout heavyweight Gable Steveson remains active.
![Gophers men's basketball coach Richard Pitino before a practice last month. ] Aaron Lavinsky • aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com The Gophers men's bask](https://stmedia.stimg.co/08_1009592450_005UCAG092519_56329347.JPG?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Gophers beat SW Minnesota St. in exhibition without digging deep
After winning the exhibition game 73-48, coach Richard Pitino said he didn't want to reveal too much about his team before the games actually count.
Exhibition game is first chance to see Pitino's revamped Gophers
With three transfer students in the starting lineup, the U plays Southwest Minnesota State tonight before the season starts for real next week.
Changing of the guards: Gophers backcourt comes from different directions
They haven't played an official game together. But Marcus Carr, Payton Willis and Gabe Kalscheur have separately started games in the Big Ten, ACC and SEC.
'All of us are tough': Four-man freshman class excites Gophers basketball
How this freshmen class came together for the Gophers wasn't traditional, but Richard Pitino's team needs them ready to contribute.
Injured Curry frustrated but knows: 'Keep my head up and keep my spirits high'
Eric Curry, who will have surgery next week, said he is frustrated by a season-ending injury but will overcome it like he has others in the past.
Out again: Gophers' Curry will miss season because of knee injury
Gophers junior forward Eric Curry, who was coming back from two injury-plagued basketball seasons, suffered his latest knee injury last week and will need surgery.
Fathers and sons: Young Mashburn also chooses to play for a Pitino
Nearly 30 years after their fathers teamed up at Kentucky to reach a Final Four, Richard Pitino and Jamal Mashburn Jr. will form a second-generation connection at the U.
Gophers' Curry suffers another knee injury, out indefinitely
The progress junior forward Eric Curry made toward being ready to play this season suffered a significant setback Monday with an injury to his right knee in practice.
Four-star recruit commits to Gophers basketball team
The Gophers men's basketball team was the only Big Ten program without a 2020 commitment before 6-10 Martice Mitchell's announcement.
Will Minnesota help test NCAA's grip on sports revenue?
It took a state with 58 schools and thousands of NCAA athletes to flex enough muscle to give nine other states, including Minnesota, the confidence to announce plans to introduce similar legislation.
Who's in charge? Gophers men's basketball doesn't have captain yet
The opener is less than five weeks away, but the Gophers men's basketball team hasn't named any captains yet for the upcoming season.
Pitino supports Calif. law allowing athletes to profit off their images
Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino was the first coach at Big Ten Media Day on Wednesday to show support for the California bill passed this week.
When will Izzo retire? He'd first like to win another NCAA title
ROSEMONT, Ill. – When will Tom Izzo’s Hall of Fame career come to a close at Michigan State? That’s not something Izzo could answer…
Gophers' Pitino among first coaches to speak at Big Ten media day
The Gophers, who return sophomore starters Daniel Oturu and Gabe Kalscheur, were 22-14 overall and 9-11 (seventh) in the Big Ten last season.
Pitino's 'totally different team' isn't getting much love yet
Getting to the second round of last season's NCAA basketball tournament hasn't earned the Gophers much love as the 2019-20 season gets ready to begin.
Purdue's Moore poses complex challenge again for Gophers
No matter where he lines up, the versatile Rondale Moore is a threat.
Pitino wants bigger Oturu to be more physical, shoot some threes
Coach Richard Pitino sees a couple of ways that Daniel Oturu, the former Cretin-Derham Hall, can improve his game during his second season at the U.
Five big questions for Pitino, Gophers men's basketball
The roster is dealing with a lot of turnover, but coach Richard Pitino has shown he can rebuild on the fly.
Border battered: Wisconsin gets two U basketball recruits in 24 hours
Of seven players in the Class of 2020 offered men's basketball scholarships by the Gophers, four have already chosen other schools. That's left many Minnesota fans frustrated.
Many recruiting battles still to come for in-state talent
The Gophers lost out on Mayo's Gabe Madsen.
Ugly third quarter on defense nearly cost Gophers the victory
Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi's scheming was put the test Thursday night when South Dakota State's adjustments led to a brutal third quarter
Gophers' transfer Willis a State Fair rookie but a veteran on the floor
The Vanderbilt transfer has the most playing experience of any backcourt player for Richard Pitino.
Ohio State's Cornell, of Cretin-Derham Hall, hopes to live up to prep hype
Jashon Cornell, the nation's former No. 1 recruit, hopes to start at DT at Ohio State.
Spann-Ford emerges as potential breakout player for Gophers
After using redshirt year to grow and learn, the tight end is ready for impact.
Gophers basketball finishes trip to Italy 3-0 behind freshman Williams
With returning starter Gabe Kalscheur out with an ankle injury, freshman Tre' Williams led the Gophers in scoring Saturday with 22 points in a 98-66 victory over Como Select.
Winfield takes healthy attitude into another new season with Gophers
After missing most of two years, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. can't wait to pop somebody. "If he has a healthy season, he's going to be a terror in the Big Ten, that's for sure," linebacker Carter Coughlin said.
Stillwater X Games star Hause caught up in 11-year-old's board flair
Eleven-year-old Sky Brown made X Games history by becoming the first female to land a Frontside 540.
In Italy, U men's basketball will find playing, bonding time
The nine-day trip to Italy starts Saturday, including several games that will give Richard Pitino a chance to see what life is like without stars Amir Coffey and Jordan Murphy.
U athletes seeking out more care for mental health issues
Between 30% and 40% of Gophers athletes used the athletic department's sports psychology services last school year, a university athletic official told the Board of Regents.
Minnesota strong: U works to benefit from very deep 2020 prep class
July is a critical month for the Gophers men's basketball team, as coach Richard Pitino and his staff tracks an extremely deep group of players from Minnesota.
Coffey: Decision to leave Gophers early for NBA was 'easy'
In a telephone interview, Amir Coffey expressed no regrets about leaving college early, even after going undrafted.
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Gophers hoping to end 15-year drought in Thursday's NBA draft
Only two other teams in the Big Ten have gone a longer time without having a player drafted.
Gophers' top incoming basketball recruit missing start of summer practice
Four-star recruit Isaiah Ihnen's enrollment process is complicated as he makes his way from Germany to Minnesota.
Torch gets passed: Vikings' COO Warren to be Big Ten commissioner
Kevin Warren, the Vikings chief operating officer, was officially named the next commissioner of the Big Ten at a news conference Tuesday morning. He'll be the first African-American to lead a Power Five conference.
Gophers track stars Ali, Ogunrinde change lanes to find success
Four years ago, Obsa Ali and Temi Ogunrinde had no clue about the steeplechase and hammer throw. But Wednesday they start the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas.
With Coffey gone, new Gophers guard Carr will get big chance to reach big goals
The transfer from Pittsburgh impressed last season, but that was in practice after NCAA denied his waiver request to play immediately for the Gophers.,
Coffey makes it official: He's leaving Gophers to go pro
Following a spring of testing the waters with NBA team workouts, the 6-foot-8 former Hopkins standout received enough positive feedback to bypass his senior year with the Gophers.
It's decision day for Amir Coffey: Gophers or go pro
Amir Coffey's decision could heavily shape the expectations for Minnesota's 2019-20 Big Ten season. The deadline for his decision is 11 p.m.
Hottest topic on Gophers caravan: What's going on with Amir Coffey?
The former Hopkins standout is taking advantage of new NCAA rules allowing non-seniors to go through the full draft process. Amir Coffey needs to make his decision soon.
German teen to join Turkish transfer on Gophers basketball team
With Drexel graduate transfer Alihan Demir (left), a versatile 6-9, 230-pound forward from Turkey, and Isaiah Ihnen (right), a 6-9 German with guard skills, the Gophers went international this spring to bolster the roster for next season.
Gophers land Drexel forward as grad transfer to help beef up post play
Alihan Demir, who made official visits to Minnesota and Kansas State last month, announced his decision on Twitter. The 6-9, 230-pound forward could make an immediate impact in 2019-20 for Minnesota.
Gophers' Coffey invited to NBA G League Elite camp
Amir Coffey, who led the Gophers in scoring and assists, will compete to be among a group of draft-eligible players added to the NBA combine based on their performance at the G League camp May 12-14.
Gophers looking at Drexel forward and other graduate transfers
The Drexel forward might be just the first to check out the U campus.
Gophers, Pitino turn focus to 2020 after being shut out by state's Class of '19
With Rochester's Matthew Hurt set to announce his college choice - which will not be Minnesota - coach Richard Pitino has turned the page to 2020. Can he be more successful with another group that's attracting national attention?
Freeman signs with Gophers basketball, is another 6-10 option at center
Sam Freeman, who picked the Gophers over Virginia Tech earlier this month, averaged 13.5 points, 11 rebounds and 1.5 blocks this season for his prep team in Texas.
New contract in hand, Pitino gears up for another recruiting push
The Gophers have up to four scholarships still available for the Class of 2019 with the spring recruiting period starting Wednesday.
Fresh off tournament, Richard Pitino poised for big decisions on next Gophers roster
Four, possibly five, slots to be filled in next month.
Gophers basketball will play Oklahoma next season in Sioux Falls
This will be the third game for the Gophers at the Sanford Pentagon, which included playing Oklahoma State in 2015 and Vanderbilt in 2016.
This year's tournament signals a new era for NCAA basketball
College Basketball Insider: Successful teams take a page from the past to build winners for the future.
Analysis and prediction: Texas Tech vs. Virginia for the national title
These two programs have never played each other. Here's a look at how this historic first meeting might play out in Monday's national championship.
