Gophers sophomores Tre' Williams and Sam Freeman become latest to enter college hoops transfer portal

Sophomores Tre' Williams and Sam Freeman became the latest Gophers basketball players to enter the transfer portal on Friday, they both confirmed to the Star Tribune.

Williams, who joins fellow starting guards Marcus Carr and Jamal Mashburn Jr. in the portal, averaged 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 27 games. The 6-10 Freeman averaged 6.9 minutes in 18 games in a reserve role this season. Both Williams and Freeman are from Texas.

The 6-foot-5 Williams started the last eight games this season. He also scored in double figures in seven of his final nine games, including a team-high 14 points in a win vs. Northwestern in the Big Ten tournament opening round.

Both members of the U's 2019 recruiting class, Freeman and Williams were among several players uncertain of their spot on the team after Richard Pitino was fired earlier this month following a 14-15 record in his eighth season.

Pitino was replaced by former Gophers assistant Ben Johnson, who spent the last three seasons on Xavier's staff.

Johnson said during his introductory news conference Tuesday that he expected some players to enter the portal with the coaching change.

"As a coach you've got to understand there's probably going to be turnover, as much as we don't want it," Johnson said. "And you've got to kind of plan accordingly. You can't fake it and act like everybody's going to be happy, because everybody wants to play. And all of a sudden you're surprised when a couple guys go into the portal and you're not prepared to have a backup plan for them."

The Gophers could have six scholarships available after also losing Jarvis Omersa (opted out in December) and David Mutaf (left the team in January) during the season.

Johnson reached out to several transfers with Minnesota ties recently, including George Washington's Jamison Battle, Indiana's Race Thompson, Ball State's Ish El-Amin and Division II Northern State's Parker Fox.