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This is Amelia Rayno's second season on the Gophers' basketball beat. She learned college basketball in North Carolina (Go Tar Heels!), where fanhood is not an option. In 2010, she joined the Star Tribune after graduating from Boston's Emerson College, which sadly had no exciting D-I college hoops to latch onto. Amelia has also worked on the sports desk at the Boston Globe and interned at the Detroit News.
Follow Rayno on Twitter @AmeliaRayno
Posts about Gophers roster moves
Tubby Smith: Decision on Wally Ellenson redshirt coming soon
Posted by: Amelia Rayno Updated: December 10, 2012 - 12:16 PM
Coach Tubby Smith said today on the first Big Ten coaches conference call that he and his staff would be making a decision "soon" on whether to use a redshirt for freshman Wally Ellenson.
Ellenson broke a bone in his left hand prior to the Gophers’ preseason slate. The freshman’s cast came off a couple of weeks ago and he has been practicing and traveling with the team.
“I’m going to talk to him today probably and come up with something definitive and move on,” Smith said.
The Gophers have already decided to redshirt their other freshman, forward Charles Buggs, who showed good potential in the preseason, but who still has plenty of growing and bulking to do.
Ellenson, who plays on the wing, could hypothetically help the Gophers with shooting – which has improved from a year ago but is still inconsistent at times. But the struggle would be finding a place for the Wisconsin native to play. One option would be for him to take minutes from Julian Welch, who is meant to be one of the Gophers’ sharp shooters but has been in a slump for most of the year. Smith played Welch 17 minutes in Minnesota’s win over USC, however, and Welch played perhaps his best game of the year -- suggesting that the coach is willing to work with the senior.
One-time Gophers recruit Edozie signs with Iowa State
Posted by: Amelia Rayno Updated: November 26, 2012 - 8:05 PMDaniel Edozie – the recruit that committed to Minnesota earlier this fall – has now signed with Iowa State.
Edozie visited Minnesota in September and verbally committed shortly thereafter. But when the Gophers’ coaching staff went to watch the 6-8, 239-pound forward in person, at a tournament in Texas, they didn’t like what they saw and encouraged Edozie to de-commit, according to a team source and Edozie’s AAU coach Donley Minor.
The sophomore at Tyler Junior College (Texas) is averaging 10.1 points and 8.1 rebounds through 10 games this season.
Iowa State recruited Edozie some when he was still in high school, but the California native wanted to go to a junior college to develop. He visited Iowa State shortly after de-committing to Minnesota.
Iowa State big forward Anthony Booker will graduate after the season, and the Cyclones will need to replace his presence on the court.
Teague tabs David Benedict, previously from VCU, as executive associate AD at Minnesota
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: June 22, 2012 - 1:59 PMAs his first official week as Gophers athletic director draws to a close, Norwood Teague has made an important hire. The U of M announced David Benedict -- who worked under Teague at Virginia Commonwealth and has been serving as the school's interim AD since Teague's departure -- is following his boss and will be the executive associate AD at Minnesota.
Benedict, who like Teague has a background in fundraising, is expected to begin his new role at Minnesota on July 9.
“David is a star,” Teague said in a press release. “I have a long working relationship with him and he is a superior person and a great addition to our staff. I want to emphasize that David is an addition to our staff. We have a long way to go and a short time to get there and he will be a key element in this process. This is a great move for Gopher Athletics and a great move for him. I could not be more excited that David has agreed to join us.”
Benedict previously worked as an associate AD at Arizona State and Long Beach State. He has a bachelor's degree from Southern Utah, where he played football, and a master's in sports management from New Mexico Highlands.
It's official: Chip Armelin to transfer from the Gophers
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: April 9, 2012 - 2:30 PM
Head coach Tubby Smith said at his season-ending news conference last week that he wouldn't be surprised to see a player (or players) transfer.
That was proven to be true Monday when it was announced Chip Armelin, a player many fans speculated might leave the program, has asked for and will be officially granted a release from his scholarship by the University of Minnesota. He will stay on campus through the spring semester.
“Chip has been a valuable part of our program for the past two seasons,” Smith said. “He has done everything we have asked of him and we are grateful for his contributions to this program on and off of the court. We are sad that he has elected to leave but certainly want to wish him the very best.”
It is unknown where Armelin will wind up, though it could be closer to his native Louisiana; he can use a redshirt season next year and have two seasons of eligibility left after that.
Armelin, a sophomore guard, averaged 5.2 points in 38 games this season, all as a reserve. The left-hander had his moments as a spark off the bench and scored a career-high 20 points in the regular-season finale against Nebraska. But his playing time severely decreased in the postseason. He played just 19 minutes combined in the Gophers' four NIT victories, scoring only two points in the tournament.
Unlike other transfers in recent seasons -- Royce White, Devoe Joseph and Justin Cobbs, to name a few -- Armelin's departure could be a net gain for Minnesota.
The news means the Gophers have a scholarship available for Trevor Mbakwe, if he chooses to take it. Mbakwe, who was recently granted a sixth year of eligibility, has been leaning toward coming back. Smith said Thursday he had been told by Mbakwe that he plans to return, and on Sunday night Mbakwe sent out the cryptic but perhaps noteworthy tweet, "Unfinished Business. I can't go out like this."
It's official: Chip Armelin to transfer from the Gophers
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: April 9, 2012 - 2:30 PM
Head coach Tubby Smith said at his season-ending news conference last week that he wouldn't be surprised to see a player (or players) transfer.
That was proven to be true Monday when it was announced Chip Armelin, a player many fans speculated might leave the program, has asked for and will be officially granted a release from his scholarship by the University of Minnesota. He will stay on campus through the spring semester.
“Chip has been a valuable part of our program for the past two seasons,” Smith said. “He has done everything we have asked of him and we are grateful for his contributions to this program on and off of the court. We are sad that he has elected to leave but certainly want to wish him the very best.”
It is unknown where Armelin will wind up, though it could be closer to his native Louisiana; he can use a redshirt season next year and have two seasons of eligibility left after that.
Armelin, a sophomore guard, averaged 5.2 points in 38 games this season, all as a reserve. The left-hander had his moments as a spark off the bench and scored a career-high 20 points in the regular-season finale against Nebraska. But his playing time severely decreased in the postseason. He played just 19 minutes combined in the Gophers' four NIT victories, scoring only two points in the tournament.
Unlike other transfers in recent seasons -- Royce White, Devoe Joseph and Justin Cobbs, to name a few -- Armelin's departure could be a net gain for Minnesota.
The news means the Gophers have a scholarship available for Trevor Mbakwe, if he chooses to take it. Mbakwe, who was recently granted a sixth year of eligibility, has been leaning toward coming back. Smith said Thursday he had been told by Mbakwe that he plans to return, and on Sunday night Mbakwe sent out the cryptic but perhaps noteworthy tweet, "Unfinished Business. I can't go out like this."
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- Gophers' wishlist includes shooting, win over Michigan State
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- Ellenson makes most of second-half minutes
- Postgame: Mbakwe starts; Eliason doesn't play at all.
- Pregame: Mbakwe in the starting lineup vs. Lafayette
- Smith: Mbakwe could start as soon as Saturday
- Rayno: Mbakwe in the starting 5? Smith might not want to
- More aMAILia Bag: Recruiting, guard play, Wally Ellenson and monsters
- aMAILia BAG: Oto, the break, the 'big six' recruits and more
- Tubby: Break beneficial for players needing individual work
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