Tubby Smith and the Golden Gophers defeated Bemidji State 71-58 in their exhibition opener Tuesday night. The Beavers' David Berthene led all scorers with 21 points. Trevor Mbakwe led Minnesota with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Seniors Trevor Mbakwe, Ralph Sampson III and junior Rodney Williams, are the core of the 2011-2012 squad. The triumvirate open the season at Williams Arena against Bucknell on Nov 11.

The Gophers men’s basketball team defeated Augustana 72-60 Monday in exhibition action. Trevor Mbakwe led Minnesota with 22 points and 13 rebounds. It was their final tune-up before regular season play begins with a non-conference game against Bucknell Friday night at Williams Arena.

Tubby Smith's Golden Gophers basketball team used a strong second half to pull away from a gritty Appalachian State team, 70-56 Tuesday night. Rodney Williams led the Gophers with 18 points, six rebounds, and five blocked shots.

The battle for the Little Brown Jug was no-contest. The trophy stays in Ann Arbor as Minnesota suffers its third-worst defeat in school history.

While the border battle to the east between the Vikings and Packers didn't go very well, the border battle to the west finished with a much better result. The Gophers defeated South Dakota State 71-55 at Williams Arena.

The Gophers freshman started both of Minnesota's exhibition games leading up to Friday's season opener against Bucknell. Tennessee's reigning Mr. Basketball will be learning a lot about playing in the Big Ten on the fly, according to coach Tubby Smith.