Minnesota Keeps Winning as Its Problems Continue

While off-the-court problems continue for Minnesota, it’s going pretty well for the Golden Gophers on the court.

Before Minnesota improved its record to 3-0 with an 86-67 victory over Morehead State Saturday at Minneapolis, freshman swingman Shane Schilling was suspended by first-year Coach Don Monson for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Monson, named coach at Minnesota in July after leading Gonzaga to the round of eight in last season’s NCAA tournament, took over a program that is under NCAA investigation for allegations of widespread academic fraud.

Two weeks ago, sophomore center Joel Przybilla left the team for several days and missed one game because of “personal issues.” It was speculated that the 7-foot-1 Przybilla might leave Minnesota because of the anticipated NCAA sanctions, but he returned to the team.

The scandal, which surfaced during the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament, eventually cost Clem Haskins his job as coach. A week ago, Mark Dienhart, Minnesota’s athletic director, and McKinley Boston, vice president for student development and athletics, also lost their jobs.

Schilling, last year’s high school player of the tear in Minnesota, played 26 minutes and scored nine points in the Golden Gophers’ first two games. He sat at the end of the bench in street clothes during Saturday’s game.

Schilling wasn’t needed as Minnesota never trailed against Morehead State (1-2). The Golden Gophers shot 69% in the first half to take a 54-29 halftime lead.

Forward Dusty Rychart, who had 44 points and 25 rebounds in Minnesota’s first two games, had modest totals of 12 points and seven rebounds.

Rychart was a seldom-used walk-on as a freshman who became a starter in Minnesota’s first-round NCAA tournament game against Monson-coached Gonzaga when four players were suspended for alleged academic fraud. Rychart had 23 points and 17 rebounds in the Golden Gophers’ 75-63 loss, and was given a scholarship during the summer.

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George Washington Coach Tom Penders won his 500th game in the Colonials’ 88-76 home-court victory over South Florida 88-76. Penders, who has a 500-330 record, has also coached at Tufts, Columbia, Fordham, Rhode Island and Texas. George Washington (2-2) was led in scoring by SirValiant Brown, who had 33 points despite missing his first nine shots. . . . Ben Howland became the first Pittsburgh coach to start his career 3-0 as the Panthers were 68-49 home-court winners over Indiana Purdue Indianapolis. Howland coached last season at Northern Arizona . . . Sacramento State ended a road-game losing streak at 40 with a 65-57 victory over Nevada in Reno late Friday night. Sacramento State, which won only four of 52 games the last two seasons, is off to its best start (3-0) since 1988-89 when it was a NCAA Division II member.