Reggie Lynch Drops Appeal, Will Be Expelled From Minnesota Program

One of the biggest stories in the Big Ten this season has revolved around the Minnesota basketball program and the status of center Reggie Lynch. Multiple allegations of sexual assault came out against Lynch in the past few months and he has been appealing a pair of rulings that suspended him from the team.

However, on Thursday, Lynch announced that he would no longer go forward with his appeals and would be accepting his suspension. This ends what was certainly one of the biggest stories off the court for the Gophers over the last few years.

Lynch originally began his career at Illinois State before transferring to Minnesota prior to the 2016-’17 season. During his time with the Gophers, he started 48 games and averaged 9.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. Lynch was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after last season.

On the court, Minnesota has struggled since Lynch was suspended earlier this season. The Gophers are 1-11 without him on the floor and have regressed from a potential NCAA Tournament contender into a bottom-tier Big Ten team. Minnesota is currently on a eight-game losing streak.

It’s difficult to anticipate whether there will be more legal implications for Lynch off the court. However, there are still some important questions for Richard Pitino and Minnesota’s athletic department to answer in the coming weeks and months.

BTPowerhouse will continue to follow this story as it develops.