They all thought they would end another way.
They would play their final game at Williams Arena, raise their postseason stock at next week's conference tourney and learn their NCAA tournament destination on Selection Sunday.
It obviously hasn't worked out that way for the Gophers' senior class of Damian Johnson, Lawrence Westbrook and Devron Bostick, who will play their final regular-season home game Sunday against Iowa.
While they had hoped for a better final season than the tumultuous year they have had so far, they said they will end their college careers without any regrets.
"We've had some up and downs, but I love my teammates," Westbrook said. "We wanted to win more on the court, but a lot of stuff we did this year off the court -- it didn't make up for it because we obviously wanted to win -- but I feel closer to everybody. These are my friends for life."
Westbrook contemplated transferring after a rough freshman year, one in which coach Dan Monson took a buyout seven games into the season. In his final three seasons under Tubby Smith, however, he became a major contributor and topped 1,000 points for his career.
Johnson began his tenure with the Gophers as a slim redshirt freshman who rarely played. But he's a strong candidate to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. He is in the top three in the Big Ten in steals and blocks and will end his career No. 2 in steals and No. 3 in blocks on the Gophers' career list.
"I wasn't prepared for it to end this fast," Johnson said. "It flew by. I enjoyed every moment of it."
And like the catalyst he's tried to be all season, he added: "We've still got a lot of season left."
Bostick arrived last season from Southwestern Illinois Community College after earning national player of the year honors. But despite his junior college accolades, he hasn't been a major contributor for the Gophers, averaging 7.9 minutes per game this season. He missed seven games at the start of this season due to a suspension for violation of team rules.
"It's been pretty difficult, but I just try to play through it, not think about it, just try to get better every day, try to help the team out as much as I can, really just make the most of my years here," said Bostick, who added he too expected he would play a bigger role for the Gophers.
In Smith's most difficult year at Minnesota -- one disrupted by suspensions, academic issues and unexpected losses to mediocre opponents -- the Gophers started out as a nationally ranked squad coming off an NCAA tournament appearance. After Tuesday's 83-55 loss at Michigan, however, the Gophers will probably have to win four games in four days at the Big Ten tournament to get back to the Big Dance.
Smith, who questioned his veteran leadership earlier this season, said the three seniors have done well, especially with the off-court distractions the program encountered.
"Considering all the things that have gone on, I think they've done ... a remarkably well job," he said.
The Gophers have lost to a variety of low-level opposition this season. But a home loss to an Iowa team that has won one road game all season would be a bigger slap in the face than any of their previous defeats.
A victory, however, would give the Gophers a .500 conference record and possibly, the bravado they will need during next week's conference tournament in Indianapolis.
Westbrook likened his team's position to the 2007-08 squad, Smith's first at Minnesota. That team beat Indiana in the Big Ten tournament on Blake Hoffarber's buzzer-beater and advanced to the semifinals.
"We're hungry, we have nothing to lose, so we might as well go out there and play free like we did my sophomore year when we beat Indiana," he said.
They would play their final game at Williams Arena, raise their postseason stock at next week's conference tourney and learn their NCAA tournament destination on Selection Sunday.
It obviously hasn't worked out that way for the Gophers' senior class of Damian Johnson, Lawrence Westbrook and Devron Bostick, who will play their final regular-season home game Sunday against Iowa.
While they had hoped for a better final season than the tumultuous year they have had so far, they said they will end their college careers without any regrets.
"We've had some up and downs, but I love my teammates," Westbrook said. "We wanted to win more on the court, but a lot of stuff we did this year off the court -- it didn't make up for it because we obviously wanted to win -- but I feel closer to everybody. These are my friends for life."
Westbrook contemplated transferring after a rough freshman year, one in which coach Dan Monson took a buyout seven games into the season. In his final three seasons under Tubby Smith, however, he became a major contributor and topped 1,000 points for his career.
Johnson began his tenure with the Gophers as a slim redshirt freshman who rarely played. But he's a strong candidate to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. He is in the top three in the Big Ten in steals and blocks and will end his career No. 2 in steals and No. 3 in blocks on the Gophers' career list.
"I wasn't prepared for it to end this fast," Johnson said. "It flew by. I enjoyed every moment of it."
And like the catalyst he's tried to be all season, he added: "We've still got a lot of season left."
Bostick arrived last season from Southwestern Illinois Community College after earning national player of the year honors. But despite his junior college accolades, he hasn't been a major contributor for the Gophers, averaging 7.9 minutes per game this season. He missed seven games at the start of this season due to a suspension for violation of team rules.
"It's been pretty difficult, but I just try to play through it, not think about it, just try to get better every day, try to help the team out as much as I can, really just make the most of my years here," said Bostick, who added he too expected he would play a bigger role for the Gophers.
In Smith's most difficult year at Minnesota -- one disrupted by suspensions, academic issues and unexpected losses to mediocre opponents -- the Gophers started out as a nationally ranked squad coming off an NCAA tournament appearance. After Tuesday's 83-55 loss at Michigan, however, the Gophers will probably have to win four games in four days at the Big Ten tournament to get back to the Big Dance.
Smith, who questioned his veteran leadership earlier this season, said the three seniors have done well, especially with the off-court distractions the program encountered.
"Considering all the things that have gone on, I think they've done ... a remarkably well job," he said.
The Gophers have lost to a variety of low-level opposition this season. But a home loss to an Iowa team that has won one road game all season would be a bigger slap in the face than any of their previous defeats.
A victory, however, would give the Gophers a .500 conference record and possibly, the bravado they will need during next week's conference tournament in Indianapolis.
Westbrook likened his team's position to the 2007-08 squad, Smith's first at Minnesota. That team beat Indiana in the Big Ten tournament on Blake Hoffarber's buzzer-beater and advanced to the semifinals.
"We're hungry, we have nothing to lose, so we might as well go out there and play free like we did my sophomore year when we beat Indiana," he said.
