New Gophers men’s basketball player Tyler Cochran had “minor” foot surgery last week and is expected to be out until December, head coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday.
Cochran transferred to the Gophers from Toledo, where he was an all-Mid-American Conference guard and the league’s defensive player of the year. He averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game last season.
The sixth-year senior has been expected to be in the Gophers’ rotation when it starts the season against Oral Roberts on Nov. 6.
“His understanding of the game is really high,” Johnson said. “Great feel. Great IQ. Just as an older guy, came from a really good program, so brings a lot of winning intangibles. He’s got a good voice, but thankfully we have some pretty good depth, especially at the guard spot. So we aren’t going to rush him back and (will) make sure he is back 100 percent.”
The Gophers have nine nonconference games before two Big Ten games, against Michigan State on Dec. 4 and at Indiana on Dec. 9. Then two more nonconference games before 18 more Big Ten games into March.
“It’s probably better now than later where he is really getting into the meat of the Big Ten season,” Johnson said. “More for him. He had been playing well and really got his body into good shape. (His foot) was something that had been bothering him for a while, and thought he could play through it. It’s a little minor setback for him. We will be anxious to get him back.”
Johnson mentioned true freshman Isaac Asuma or Kadyn Betts or one of the other, older transfers — possibly Brennan Rigsby (Oregon). Caleb Williams (Macalester) or Femi Odukale (New Mexico State) — to be candidates to fill the projected spot until Cochran comes back.
“Hopefully someone will step up and take most of it,” Johnson said.
Returning starting guard Mike Mitchell and Lu’Cye Patterson, a transfer from Charlotte, are already expected to be key players this winter.
The Gophers will host two exhibition games at Williams Arena — Oct. 19 against Bemidji State and Oct. 29 vs. Hamline.
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