Both Minnesota center Mo Walker (hamstring) and guard Nate Mason (knee) practiced today and will make the trip to Puerto Rico tomorrow.

Coach Richard Pitino said he knows Walker will be available to play on Friday, when the Gophers face No. 8 Louisville, and hopes Mason will be also, but noted that the coaches want to "get him some good practices under his belt" first.

Walker practiced on Saturday while Mason sat. The senior center has been sidelined since the Gold-and-Maroon scrimmage last month, when he tweaked his hamstring in the first half. Mason strained a knee before the team's scrimmage at Iowa State on Nov. 2 and has been hindered since.

Both were held out of the Gophers' 95-68 exhibition win over Minnesota Duluth.

"Mo could have played against Duluth but we were being cautious," Pitino said. "He looks ready to go … We've got to get Nate in shape. He hasn't practiced, I guess, since the scrimmage."

Considering the Gophers frontcourt will have one of its bigger challenges of the year in Montrezl Harrell, Walker's return is critical.

"He's as good as any frontcourt guy in the country," Pitino said. "So any size that we can have, certainly helps. People ask who are you going to have guard him and that's got to be a team effort. The more bodies the better with a guy like him."