Lineup:

PG: Andre Hollins SG: Austin Hollins SF: Rodney Williams PF: Trevor Mbakwe C: Ralph Sampson III

  • The whole team is healthy and available except Mo Walker, who is continuing to rehab a reconstructed knee.
  • Trevor Mbakwe was out on the court ahead of the rest of the team, taking extra shooting practice.

"The exhibition season is now over," coach Tubby Smith said Thursday. "It's serious business and it's for real now, as I told the team. Their emotions and I'm sure their energy level will be high, especially since we have so many fresh faces and new faces that did not play last year. I think that in itself will bring a heightened energy level and hopefully can be moderated and balanced so that we can execute and play better. We've had some very inspiring practice." Things Smith wants to see tonight: Outside shooting: The team improved to 29.4 percent from the arc in the Augustana game vs. a lousy 14.3 against Bemidji State. But Smith knows that's not going to cut it. "Our team has not shot the ball well from outside, and that's an area I know we're very capable of doing well," he said. Andre Hollins settle in: The freshman has flashed good and bad in his first two starts. Now everything counts and he needs to show he can be the floor leader the Gophers desperately need. "Andre has not shot the ball well from the outside and he's had trouble taking care of the basketball to some degree, but he's getting better as we go, as we speak, so if he continues that we'll be fine," Smith said. Movement on the perimeter: Last week, Smith acknowledged that guys on the outside were very stationary. That needs to change for the Gophers' desired up-tempo offense to work. Physicality and toughness at the post: Trevor Mbakwe is doing his job. But Ralph Sampson III – who went 1-for-5 with seven turnovers against Augustana – needs to be a force too. "We've got to get Ralph to be more physical and post up lower," Smith said. "They did a good job of just playing behind him and I think they forced him too far up the lane and I think he was frustrated because of all these three guys around him. And he did a good job of pitching it out early. If we had hit some jumpers early on when he threw it out … well then I think he got a little frustrated."

  • You can watch tonight's game here. (premium content.)
  • You can listen to tonight's game on ESPN 1500 or here.
  • Read my advance from today's Star Tribune here.
  • Check out the Gophers - Bucknell matchup here.