LOUDONVILLE - Minnesota coach Tubby Smith made it a point, following Monday's game to ask Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro where he got Rakeem Brookins from.

Brookins scored 12 points, all coming in the final minutes of the game.

"He has had two late stretch runs in games, where he's been almost the best player on the floor," said Buonaguro at his weekly luncheon on Wednesday.

Buonaguro was asked Wednesday if he still wants Brookins coming off the bench and Buonaguro said he needs to get him in there, but the bench is where he will start games still.

"I think for now," he said. "That's a tough question."

Brookins is averaging 10.0 points per game, behind just seniors Ryan Rossiter and Clarence Jackson on Siena's scoring leaders list.

While Brookins is scoring, he also has commited 10 turnovers in two games.

Buonaguro said he spoke with former coach Fran McCaffery recently and they spoke about how Ronald Moore struggled for the first few games of his career (Moore made his first start in the sixth game of his freshman season - against UAlbany on Dec. 2, 2006).

"This kid is a little different than Ronald," Buonaguro said. "This kid can score."