Losing a recruiting battle for Minnesota's top high school senior big man Wednesday came at a tough time for the Gophers men's basketball program and Richard Pitino.
Pitino already was dealing with criticism for missing on several top local prospects before five-star Prior Lake forward Dawson Garcia picked Marquette on Wednesday.
This came with the Gophers riding a three-game losing streak and a 1-3 record heading into Thursday's game against Central Michigan.
"That was a hard week," Pitino said about losing true road games at Butler and Utah last week. "Easily the hardest that I've been a part of."
This week so far hasn't been any easier on Pitino, especially when he received a call from Garcia on Wednesday morning to say he was not staying home to play for the Gophers.
"It was very close," Garcia said after he picked Marquette at a ceremony at Prior Lake High School. "It was a very tough decision. I thought very long and hard about it."
On Thursday against Central Michigan, the Gophers finally play again at Williams Arena after three games away from home. They'll get a chance to turn things around on the court during a four-game homestand, behind emerging sophomore center Daniel Oturu.
There's nothing the Gophers have done, though, to change the perception locally in recruiting.