Another Sorry Chapter in Gopher Basketball Story
March 2, 2016
Just when a ray of hope was seen over the Minnesota Gophers basketball, a crushing blow sent the cage program reeling backward again. That old nemesis scandal reared its ugly head, this time involving three guards and a sex video.
For Nate Mason, Dupree McBrayer, and Kevin Dorsey, the season is over. The trio was suspended from the team by coach Richard Pitino after their sexually explicit video was posted on Dorsey’s Twitter account.
“We took actions we thought were necessary,” Pitino said, “and at the end of the day, we hold our student-athletes to a very high standard. If they don’t meet those, there are consequences.” Pitino might not realize it, but he is not the first Gopher coach to lose three star players at once via suspensions. Those with long memories will never forget the 1985-86 season and a sexually-charged Madison motel incident, the aftermath of which resulted in the season-long suspensions of Mitchell Lee, Kevin Smith, and George Williams.
Minnesota has been a school for scandal going back to January 25, 1972, when a Williams Arena brawl broke out between Gopher and Ohio State players. Ron Behagen and Corky Taylor were suspended for the balance of the season as the result of their actions. Between then and now, the record is stained with incidents of academic fraud, sexual assault, and domonestic violence.
The 1972, 1986, and 2016 incidents all resulted in the Gophers regrouping into an “Iron Five” lineup as the result of player shortages. The latest Iron Five consists of Joey King, Charles Buggs, Jordan Murphy, Ahmad Gilbert, and the seldom-used Stephon Sharp. These guys would have trouble competing in the Northern Sun, let alone the Big Ten conference. But this is what Pitino was forced to send out onto the floor at home against Wisconsin March 2. The Badgers feigned interest in the contest, playing just well enough to win by 62 to 49.
A harbinger of things to come happened when the opening tipoff immediately resulted in an over-and-back call on the Gophers. Next, Joey King, who leads the conference in free throw percentage shooting, missed his first free throw shot. The handwriting was on the wall. The Badgers never trailed and toyed with their border rivals throughout.
Pitino admitted afterward that the game “just didn’t have the feel” of a rivalry contest. “It’s hard when you just don’t have all your options.”
Wisconsin interim coach Greg Gard substituted liberally throughout the game, and the Badgers led 40-24 at the break. Sharp had 10 points going into the second half and was the only Gopher energized. The crowd sat in silence until a Murphy basket drew Minnesota to within 52-41when a sound more like a pent-up growl could be heard throughout the Barn. Baskets by Badgers Vitto Brown and Jordan Hill smothered what little Gophers enthusiasm was left. When the score hit 58-43 with four minutes left, Minnesota fans dived for the exits, leaving their seats for a handful of Badgers supporters.
vPitino’s personal scorecard since last season includes dismissal from the program for Zach Lofton, suspension of Daquein McNeil for domestic assault charges, a one-game Dorsey suspension, the dismissal of Carlos Morris, and now the suspensions of Dorsey, McBrayer, and Nate Mason for a sexually-explicit video presentation.
The coach ultimately is responsible for an atmosphere that objectifies women while reflecting what is becoming nationally-known as Pitino family values