The Minnesota Golden Gophers have one of the best front courts in all of college basketball with Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III leading the way. Mbakwe was on several preseason All-America lists, while Sampson can provide an inside-out presence to draw other teams away from the basket. Last season the pair helped Minnesota be one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and it is hoped that their combined skills can return the Gophers to the NCAA Tournament in March.
This week the Golden Gophers tip off the college basketball regular season Friday night against Bucknell at 7pm local time. The Bison have been one of the more pesky NCAA Tournament teams in recent years, but they were a first round victim of eventual National Champion Connecticut last season. Before that they won a game in the 2005 and 2006 Tournaments, beating Kansas and Arkansas, respectively.
Friday night's game at Williams Arena can be seen on Big Ten Network.