Minnesota sticking with Mbakwe after his arrest

Mbakwe’s Twitter account was taken down soon after his comments.

This is the latest in what has been a long line of distractions for Smith and the Gophers the last two years. Just last week, guard Devoe Joseph decided to leave the school and transfer to Oregon. He was suspended earlier for academic issues among unspecified violations of team rules.

Prized recruit Royce White left the program last year and eventually transferred to Iowa State after pleading guilty to theft and disorderly conduct in an incident at the Mall of America. Mbakwe had to sit out the entire 2009-10 season, and starting point guard Al Nolen was suspended last January and ruled ineligible for the remainder of that season.

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