Robert Vaihola — the new starting center on the Gophers men’s basketball team — aggravated a knee injury on Tuesday and is unlikely to play against San Francisco at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The 6-foot-8 transfer from San Jose State was incidentally kicked in his right leg in the second half of the 66-54 home win over Chicago State this week. He received medical attention on the Williams Arenacourt, limped off and didn’t return to the game.
“He’s really doubtful for (Saturday),” head coach Niko Medved told the Pioneer Press on Friday.
Starting all five games, Vaihola is the U’s second-leading rebounder (7.6 per game), while also contributing 5.0 points and 21.4 minutes per game.
The Gophers (4-1) lack frontcourt size, even with Vaihola, and his expected absence will lead to Minnesota playing smaller lineups, with 6-8 power forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson moving more inside to center and 6-7 small forward Cade Tyson stepping into a role at power forward.
Medved likes to use that small-ball lineup at times, but he said it will be a challenge to manage minutes and fouls.
Medved hasn’t been able employ 6-8 California transfer BJ Omot in any of the five games this season. The Mankato native has been dealing with a leg injury.
Without Vaihola, Medved also can turn to 6-10 true sophomore big man Nehemiah Turner, a transfer from Central Arkansas. Turner has played only 18 total minutes across two games this season.
“Nehemiah is going to get an opportunity to play here,” Medved said. “He’s going to have to play. It’s a great opportunity for him to step up and do it. Sometimes the best way to learn is to get out on the court and play.”
San Francisco (4-1) has a big and deep lineup that will challenge the Gophers. They have a 7-foot center Guillermo Diaz Graham, two 6-9 forwards David Fuchs and Junjie Wang and a trio of 6-foot-6 wings, including Tyrone Riley.
The Dons’ one loss this season came to Memphis, 76-70, on Nov. 11. They have beat California-Santa Cruz, Portland State, Bradley and Northwestern (La). State.
Medved. who coached seven seasons at Colorado State, knows what these games mean to programs like San Fran.
“The thing I told our guys is, I’ve been in those leagues, a team from the Mountain West or West Coast Conference, an opportunity to play a Power Four school on a neutral court, that is a game they have circled,” he said. “We know we are going to get their ‘A’ game.”
San Francisco’s starting point guard, Ryan Beasley, missed the Northwestern State win Tuesday with an illness, but Medved expects him to play Saturday.
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