Gophers pregame: Lukashewich helping Minnesota right away

Tonight's game vs. Furman tips at 7 p.m. Watch on ESPN3 (free for subscribers) or listen live on 1500-a.m.

I'll be on KFAN talking Minnesota and Big Ten hoops Dave Sinykin at 5:55 p.m.

Read my story on Minnesota's much improved passing game in today's Star Tribune. Preview here.

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When Mike Lukashewich pulled off his Appleton North jersey for the last time, he had no intentions of putting a new one on.

The 6-foot-1 guard was done with his basketball career, he thought. A few offers from Division II and Division III schools weren't enticing enough to battle with something he valued more: his studies.

But after the Wisconsin native got into the University of Minnesota and began his freshman year in a sports management program, his couldn't help but be curious when the Gophers' hosted a walk-on tryout at the beginning of October.

"If it worked out, I said, it worked out," Lukashewich said on Friday. "And if they didn't need me, it was totally OK."

His tryout came and went. The Gophers plucked 5-foot-10 guard Darin Haugh -- who is not eligible this year due to NCAA transfer rules -- and no one else. But as the roster grew thinner -- after Minnesota kicked Zach Lofton off the team, guard Daquein McNeil was arrested for assault and freshman forward Josh Martin transferred -- Lukashewich got a phone call the week before Christmas break.

At the request of coach Richard Pitino, he came in, then, to practice with the team and see the flow of everything. After a couple of practices, the coach had made his decision: he wanted Lukashewich to join the team as its second walk-on.

"I'm excited," said Lukashewich, who used the word "thankful" three times in our short conversation. "I'm thankful for the opportunity and all these guys have helped me a lot. So it's been an easy transition.

"It's been a learning experience for sure. My teammates are helping me out a ton with drills and everything and especially during the game, they help me out with flow stuff, so they've been a tremendous help to me."

Lukashewich got a minute of action in the first half of a blowout over Seattle on Friday, and almost immediately tipped a three-pointer, causing the Barn to go nuts.

Apparently, that's exactly what the Gophers are expecting from a player with a long arms and one who says he really likes defense.

Pitino had already taken to calling him Hakim Warrick after the former Syracuse player who blocked a potential game-tying three-pointer in the waning seconds of the 2003 National Championship game vs. Kansas.

"He contests shots great," Pitino said. "We were like laughing about it ... and legitimately he got one. He's got long arms. I'm excited about him. I really am."

Lukashewich played a total of four minutes on Friday, getting back in in the second half. He didn't attempt a shot and kept the block as his sole statistic on his first boxscore line.

The two extra players make a big difference in practice, the players said. With all the roster attrition, wing Carlos Morris was left without a substitute in practices that are as fast-paced and intense as games, players say.

"Practice was getting pretty tough," point guard DeAndre Mathieu said. "We try to simulate the game in practice by being uptempo and guys are just getting wore out, so it's definitely going to be good to have some subs."

Now, the Gophers are up to 14 players on the roster -- three of them walk-ons -- although McNeil remains suspended indefinitely. After feeling shorthanded for weeks, Pitino joked that now Minnesota had an overflow.

"It was funny because we didn't have any players and now it's like we've got too many again," he said. "So maybe I'll run somebody off, I don't know."

Three things to know tonight:

2. Look for Gaston Diedhiou again. The international big man joined the team last Thursday but didn't play Friday because he hadn't practiced at all. Now, he's got at least two practices under his belt, so if the score gets pushed out, Pitino could give him some garbage minutes.