Gopher Basketball Player Profile: Andre Hollins

Meet Andre Hollins, a guard for the Minnesota Gophers.

Andre Hollins is a graduate of White Station High School in Memphis, Tennessee.

As a high school senior, Hollins was the 2011 Tennesse Mr. Basketball and an ESPN Top 100 recruit, as well as the 2011 Pepsi Best of Preps Player of the Year. Hollins averaged 23.5 points per game and captained his team to a 30-7 record and state-semifinal appearance.

Join Andre Hollins and the Minnesota Gophers this basketball season!

Trevor Mbakwe 2012-13

Trevor Mbakwe is Minnesota-native who has always known he wanted to play basketball. Standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall, Trevor Mbakwe has also always had the size of a basketball player.

Trevor Mbakwe started his basketball career at Henry Sibley Senior High School in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. He also played on the Howard Pulley AAU team. After he graduated high school in 2007, Trevor Mbakwe went to Miami-Dade junior college. He transferred to the University of Minnesota in 2009 however and was added to the Golden Gophers Basketball roster that same year.

Mbakwe will be returning for another season with the Gophers in 2012-2013. Yay!

Check out Trevor Mbakwe and the rest of the Minnesota Gophers at Williams Arena.

Williams Arena: Home of the Gophers Basketball Teams

Home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Men's and Women's basketball team, Williams Arena is affectionately referred to as "The Barn." Williams Arena is located at 1925 University Avenue Southeast in Minneapolis.

Construction of Williams Arena building began in 1927 and was completed in 1928, when it was dedicated as the University of Minnesota Field House. The building features a barrel-vaulted roof, maximizing the number of seats in the arena. The original building housed basketball and winter football practice facilities.

"The Barn" is ranked in the top five of College Basketball Arenas in the country by Inside Sports writers and it is one of just six 1920's era collegiate basketball arenas still in use. The raised floor, one of only a handful in the country, and the deafening roar of 14,000-plus Williams Arena fans unquestionably has something to do with it. Minnesota basketball fans love Williams Arena!

Trevor Mbakwe Sixth Season of Eligibility

Minnesota's Trevor Mbakwe got the sixth season of eligibility he wanted. Mbakwe said he's strongly considering returning, but also continued that he has not ruled out the NBA.

If Mbakwe would return to the Gophers, the U of M would have to find a scholarship for him. Minnesota is at the NCAA maximum of 13 scholarship players.

The deadline for declaring the draft is April 29.

Minnesota faces off against Washington in the NIT semifinals on Tuesday.

Gopher Basketball Regular Season Game

This is it. The final regular season game at Williams Arena. Join me for the Minnesota Golden Gophers v Nebraska Cornhuskers game on March 3 at 11:30am.

Gophers v Cornhuskers

3/3 @ 11:30am

Don't miss this great Gophers game!

Gophers Down Illini

The Gophers men's basketball team made a statement in the final minutes of the Minnesota-Illinois basketball game - they are not the same team that they were in the Big Ten opener. The message was heard loud and clear by Illinois.

The Gophers showed their might by tying the score on a last-second three-point play and finishing off Illinois in overtime to grab their fourth victory in five games. The Gophers won 77-72 at Williams Arena.

Austin Hollins, with the Gophers down by three, drove to the basket, hitting the layup. The big error by Illinois came as Meyers Leonard fouled Hollins, who they hit the free throw to send the game into overtime.

Gophers mascot Goldy Gopher bio

Who is the biggest Minnesota Golden Gophers fan around? Well, the mascot, Goldy, of course! Goldy's official bio on the Gophers Atletic website states he was born too long ago to remember, but history states Goldy officially began in 1940, the gopher was elected to be the official animal in 1857.

Goldy has taken on many different appearances, based on what his fans wanted, either more ferocious or less ferocious as times and opinions change. Goldy the gopher attends more than 500 events and other appearances per year! That's one busy gopher!

It is said that Goldy once beat out a football player in a push-up contest! We have a seriously strong mascot here! Goldy is also very smart, going straight to college, bypassing high school altogether! Goldy gopher plans on attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus until mascotting becomes a legitimate and respected major and field of study. If you ask me, Goldy could teach the classes! Give him his degree already and let Goldy start teaching others how to be the best mascot that you can be!