CHICAGO -- It's a blow for University of Minnesota basketball coach Richard Pitino to be without his starting center Bakary Konate as the Gophers prepare for the 2015-16 season.
The 6-foot-11 Konate was making significant strides from his freshman year last season.
But Pitino talked Thursday at Big Ten Basketball Media Day about how his team is handling the loss of Konate, who is expected be out three weeks with a stress fracture in his foot.
The Gophers are using 6-10, 240-pound sophomore Gaston Diedhiou to replace Konate in practice right now. But Pitino also said they could go with a smaller lineup that matches 6-9 senior Joey King and 6-6 freshman Jordan Murphy together inside.