MINNEAPOLIS -- Returning five starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team has allowed Minnesota to get off to a quick start.
Even with highly touted recruit Isaiah Washington coming off the bench, the five starters are overwhelming assets for the 14th-ranked Gophers (3-0).
"I told the starting five ... 'if you guys can be so rock solid like you were at Providence College, we'll be able to deal with the bench not always being great,'" Minnesota coach Richard Pitino told the St. Paul Pioneer Press this week.
In their strongest test to this point in the season, the Gophers pulled away for an 86-74 win at Providence.