When the Gophers landed Davonte Fitzgerald as a transfer from Texas A&M two years ago, he was looked at as a potential starting forward with all-conference upside.
After recovering from a second major knee injury, Fitzgerald needed time just to get healthy let alone become an impact player. But Tuesday's 13-point, eight-rebound performance in a 100-57 win against Alabama A&M was a glimpse at what he could bring off the bench this season.
"I'm just taking every game, trying to get better," Fitzgerald said. "It was a good game and a stepping stone. Just trying to use this game to propel forward, especially health-wise."
On one play in the second half, the 6-foot-8, 220-pound Georgia native pump faked a defender took a few dribbles under the basket, jumped 180 degrees and threw down an emphatic one-hand slam, his first official dunk in maroon and gold.
The spring in his legs are definitely back.
"The rehab was really good," Fitzgerald said. "I haven't been cautious at all. I feel really good out there. That's a plus for me and a credit to the training staff and the doctors getting me ready."
Through his first four games at Minnesota, Fitzgerald was averaging just 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.8 minutes. It wasn't the start he and the Gophers were expecting, but he just needed to get comfortable after sitting out two whole seasons. Before his Gophers debut earlier this month, he hadn't played a regular season game since with the Aggies in 2014-15.
"It was a great game for him," Gophers coach Richard Pitino said. "Athletically, he had that dunk. I think he's moving good. Physically he's a 100 percent. Mentally, he's just getting caught up with the flow of the game, because he didn't play for two years. This was a good day to get that out of him and continue to play. So I like what I saw."
