Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tubby Smith has spoken to the media about the right knee injury sustained by Trevor Mbakwe on Sunday evening, and the news is not good. The independent Minnesota basketball blog The Gopher Hole, written by J.B. Bauer was in the post-game press conference in Orlando, where the topic of Mbakwe's knee dominated the conversation instead of the loss to Dayton:
I was at the postgame presser tonight here in Orlando after Minnesota's 86-70 loss to Dayton and Tubby said, "it ain't good" before saying that he hopes Mbakwe's right knee injury is nothing serious. We should know soon just how bad it is, but the questions about his future should he be out the remainder of this season are already being asked.
Bauer later addressed the possibility of Mbakwe returning in 2012-13 through a medical hardship waiver, but admitted that it was unlikely. Mbakwe did have knee surgery on his left knee earlier in his career at Marquette before transferring to Minnesota.
Minnesota returns home to host Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday night.