Minnesota Gophers forward Trevor Mbakwe will not play for his new school until a felony aggravated battery charge is cleared up, Athletic Director Joel Maturi announced Monday.
Mbakwe has a court date in December after police say he attacked a woman in Miami in April. Mbakwe is a transfer from Marquette, and listed at 6-foot 8, 240 pounds, was expected to add a lot of depth to the Gophers frontline.
"We've been without him for two years, so we'll see how it works out," Gophers coach Tubby Smith said a couple weeks ago.
Missing out on the chance to play a bruising big man such as Mbakwe would be a tough blow, though. Mbakwe is one of four newcomers who comprise a very highly-touted incoming class for Minnesota.
If a decision on his legal situation is not made in a timely matter, Mbakwe could redshirt this season and still have two full years of eligibility left for the No. 25-ranked Gophers.
"There's not a person who knows him who didn't respond to me telling me what great character he has. Everybody said what a wonderful young man he is, not that we would feel any differently," Maturi told the AP. "The decision is not at all based on whether I feel he is innocent or guilty. It's an educational decision that I feel will allow Trevor to learn from."
--Hen
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