DeAndre Mathieu still has a class with former teammate Zach Lofton, and other players see him around campus, so in some ways, the separation between the guard and the team hasn't fully begun.

But nothing about that relationship is normal anymore, since Lofton was kicked off the team last week.

The players said they still consider him a teammate -- a brother even -- but on Wednesday, the first time the team addressed the dismissal, they didn't duck the fact that Lofton had some troubles.

"I was kind of shocked because he was really, really talented," Mathieu said, adding that he still talks to Lofton almost every day. "He just had a few issues, but he's a brother and I mean, if we see Zach still, he's still a member of this team to us. So even though we don't practice with him, we still treat him like a brother. But it was kind of shocking."

Fellow senior Andre Hollins said he's tried to give Lofton words of encouragement since his exit from the team.

"It's always difficult to let a brother go," he said. "Things just weren't working out and coach had to do what's best for the program, and what's best for Zach. We wish him the best, wherever he goes, and he's a great player."

Ultimately, the incongruence between the team's expectations and Lofton's efforts to get there was enough for coach Richard Pitino to send him away. The coach didn't elaborate on his reasoning on Wednesday, but made it clear that the issue had been ongoing.

"It just didn't work out," Pitino said. "It's not all Zach's fault. It wasn't one isolated incident -- I know everybody tries to figure that part out of it. It just wasn't working out and I feel bad certainly because I think he's a good kid and I hope, certainly, that he ends up in a good spot."

Lofton is still in school at Minnesota but will likely transfer somewhere else, Pitino said, adding that the coaches would assist him in any way they could.


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WALKER AND MASON OUT FOR THURSDAY'S EXHIBITION

Both senior center Mo Walker and freshman guard Nate Mason will be unavailable for Thursday's first and only exhibition against Minnesota Duluth, Pitino said on Wednesday.

The pair was also absent for Minnesota's recent closed scrimmage at Iowa State.

Mason "strained" his knee in practice about a week ago, Pitino said, and "bumped" it yesterday, while playing at about 50 percent.

Walker suffered a hamstring injury in the team's Maroon-and-Gold scrimmage on Oct. 26, and has not practiced to contact since.

Asked how the frontcourt rotations look without Walker present, Pitino shook his head.

"Ugly," he said. "It's tough to practice. Yesterday, I had [6-foot-9] Joey [King] at the 5 and [6-foot-8] Josh [Martin] at the 4 and Bakary [Konate] had to leave early for class. It was not good, it was not good."

Meanwhile, center Elliott Eliason has been trying to hold down the fort.

"He's the same E," Mathieu said. "Shot blocking, playing hard, really, really hard."

Both Walker and Mason are expected to be available in Puerto Rico, where the Gophers face Louisville a week from Friday.