Gophers hoops recruit Mbakwe implicated in Miami assault

A lawyer for the former St. Bernard's star says the victim misidentified her assailant, and the university is aware of the allegations.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF and KENT YOUNGBLOOD, Star Tribune staff writers

Last update: July 30, 2009 - 7:23 AM

University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said Wednesday that, when it comes to Trevor Mbakwe, the school will "do the right thing."

But Maturi isn't sure yet exactly what that means.

Mbakwe, the former St. Bernard's High School star who is a cornerstone of Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith's incoming recruiting class, is facing a felony aggravated battery charge stemming from an April incident in Miami-Dade County in Florida. Mbakwe was going to school and playing basketball at Miami Dade College at the time.

According to published accounts of the police report:

On April 3 at a Miami apartment complex, a party was being held for the Miami Dade College basketball team. A woman who lived at the complex was walking from her vehicle to her apartment shortly before 3 a.m. when a man rode up to her on a bicycle. She ignored the man, who ultimately dropped his bike, approached the victim and attempted to pull her pants down.

After yelling for help, the victim was hit twice in the face, suffering a fractured cheekbone and a ruptured sinus. Later, the woman identified Mbakwe's photograph after an online search for the Miami Dade College basketball team.

Will Coleman, a teammate of Mbakwe's at Miami Dade, said on Wednesday that Mbakwe attended the party on the night of the incident.

Mbkawe left Miami and returned to Minnesota shortly thereafter. After retaining an attorney, he returned to Florida and was arrested April 28. He has since come back to Minnesota.

Mbakwe's court case is scheduled for Aug. 26.

His Florida attorney, Gregory Samms, said Wednesday he felt Mbakwe was the victim of mistaken identity, noting that another man in the Miami area has been making similar attacks while riding on a bicycle.

"This has been going on while Trevor has been in Minnesota," Samms said. "Anything that happened is inconsistent with Trevor or who he is."

Mbakwe did not return phone calls.

"It's something we're aware of," said Gophers coach Tubby Smith, referring to the accusations against Mbakwe. "It's something that he's going to have to deal with, whatever he has to do. Hopefully, it's untrue."

"But he had told us there's nothing you can do in those situations, just wait and see," Smith added.

Maturi agreed.

"I have to find out what the facts are," he said. "I have to know what happened, and what didn't happen. I learned a long time ago that sometimes what is reported aren't the facts. Sometimes it's worse, sometimes it's better.

"If the young person is deserving to be here, he will be. If he's not deserving, he won't be."

Mbakwe spent one season at Marquette before playing a year of junior college basketball in Miami.

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