Taj Gibson said he has put on eight pounds so far this offseason, going from 214 to 222 pounds. The forward has been hitting the weight room three times a week at Galen Center.

Strength and Conditioning coach Rudy Hackett thinks the work Gibson is putting in will help him avoid tiring midseason like he did as a freshman.

“Last summer, he’d be like, `Is this really going to help me?’’ Hackett said. “Now he knows, and he knows the intensity he needs to work at. That additional strength will help him get through the season.’’