Recent content from Marcus Fuller
Former Cooper football star Howard transfers from LSU to Gophers
Former Cooper star and LSU defensive end Jaxon Howard, the most highly touted high school football recruit in Minnesota last year, has committed to the Gophers
Mitchell, a 6-8 rebounding machine, likes the fit with U men's basketball
Frank Mitchell, who ranked fourth nationally in rebounding this past season at Canisius, will be counted on to help replace Pharrel Payne.
Gophers men's basketball lands big-man transfer Mitchell from Canisius
Canisius transfer Frank Mitchell, the nation's fourth-leading rebounder this past season, committed to the Gophers on Wednesday.
Four-star linebacker gives commitment to Gophers football
The No. 1 recruit in Minnesota for the 2025 class had offers from several top programs including Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin
Fox announces he's returning to U men's basketball for one more year
Mahtomedi native Parker Fox had a strong finish to the season and is coming back for a seventh season of college basketball.
Is Christie gone, too? Gophers freshman guard declares for draft.
Cam Christie, who earned All-Big Ten freshman honors this past season, announced he'll test NBA waters while maintaining college eligibility.
Four things to watch Thursday at rare open Gophers football practice
With no Gophers spring game, this is the best chance to catch an early glimpse at next season. All eyes will be on new quarterback Max Brosmer, along with Darius Taylor and the backup running backs.
Gophers show off new receivers but there's work to be done
"We're creating more playmakers," Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck said after Thursday's open practice that featured both dropped passes and redemption catches.
LSU defensive end Jaxon Howard, once a Gophers recruiting target, enters transfer portal
Howard was flooded with offers coming out of Robbinsdale Cooper and considered the Gophers before selecting LSU.
U's new special teams coach has experience working with the best
The Gophers football team can't wait to see what kicker Dragan Kesich and punter Mark Crawford will do under new special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky.
Transfers make big mark on men's Final Four, especially the underdogs
All four teams have transfers who have played key roles this season. North Carolina State, which is making a surprising run as a No. 11 seed, has seen the biggest boost.
Garcia staying with Gophers; Johnson hopes fans appreciate choice
Ben Johnson was sitting in his office Thursday when he got a text saying Dawson Garcia was in the building. The coach didn't know what to expect.
Five Gophers going, but Johnson hopeful four starters will be back
Gophers coach Ben Johnson said he isn't upset with players who decided to enter the transfer portal, saying they "make decisions that are best for them."
Gophers guard Mike Mitchell Jr. is staying with Ben Johnson's program
Mike Mitchell, who averaged 10.2 points per game this season, will return to the Gophers next season, his father told the Star Tribune.
U basketball losses mount: Payne, Carrington, Ihnen enter portal
The Gophers men's basketball team has seen three sophomores from Minnesota enter the transfer portal over two days.
Gophers transfer portal watch: NDSU big man visiting
Former North Dakota State big man and Waseca native Andrew Morgan plans to visit the Gophers on Thursday. The 6-10 junior has one year of eligibility left.
![Joshua Ola Joseph (1) of the Minnesota Gophers Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, at Williams Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ • carlos.gonzalez@](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/XDWHCUA6KIJYFHH6EDMMZINQRI.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Gophers sophomore Ola-Joseph enters transfer portal
Joshua Ola-Joseph saw his role with Gophers basketball decrease late this season. Now the forward is heading to a new team.
U recruits Asuma, Grove ready for jump from state tourney to college
Cherry's Isaac Asuma remembers being wide-eyed as a sophomore at Williams Arena, but by Saturday's 1A title game, the Iron Range star felt in his element. Fellow Gophers recruit Grayson Grove of Alexandria joined him on the all-tournament team.
Gophers roster analysis: Decisions by two key players loom largest
The Gophers had 10 more wins this season than in 2022-23. Their continued improvement, however, will be largely based on who decides to return.
Hawkins hurt as Gophers lose to Indiana St. in NIT's second round
After being the standout in Minnesota's opening-round win, point guard Elijah Hawkins was limited to 21 minutes because of an injured hip.
Indiana State has 'Cream Abdul-Jabbar.' It also has Gophers' full respect.
Entering Sunday's game against the Gophers, the Sycamores are the No. 1 seed in the NIT and the No. 1 snub from the NCAA tourney.
Gophers' next NIT opponent is tournament's No. 1 seed
One of the most intriguing early NIT matchups could be when the Gophers men play at Indiana State, the tournament's No. 1 overall seed.
Gophers manager is ready for his own version of March Madness
Drew Evenson was surrounded by his Gophers basketball family when he finished cancer treatment. "He's as big a part of this team as anybody," coach Ben Johnson said.
No. 1 seeded again, can Purdue avoid another embarrassment?
Remember how the Boilermakers lost in the first round last year to a No. 16 seed in one of the most memorable NCAA tournament games in recent years?
Hawkins' free throws in final seconds boost U past Butler 73-72 in NIT
In addition to two free throws with five seconds left, point guard Elijah Hawkins also had 15 assists to get the Gophers into the second round.
NCAA men's basketball bracket. Fuller's picks, predictions, highlights
The NCAA men's basketball tournament has been set, and Star Tribune college basketball writer Marcus Fuller has his bracket ready for your inspection.
Minnesotans to watch in the NCAA men's basketball tournament
Minnesota natives in this year's tournament include Kerwin Walton, Dain Dainja, Steven Crowl and several others.
Gophers don't hesitate to grab NIT spot, look forward to facing Butler
Ben Johnson, in his third season as Gophers coach, can build on his NIT experience as an assistant under Richard Pitino in 2013-14.
NCAA men's basketball: What to watch in all four regions
Four must-watch players and four must-watch matchups from the 68-team field announced Sunday.
Big Ten tournament at Target Center brought plenty of big performances
Marcus Fuller's five takeaways from five days of competition in downtown Minneapolis.
Gophers men's basketball gets NIT bid, first-round matchup with Butler
The Gophers' season has been extended with a first-round matchup against Butler in the 32-team NIT.
Hoiberg-led Nebraska runs out of steam in Big Ten semifinals, looks toward NCAAs
Nebraska could not hang on to a second-half lead in losing to Illinois 98-87, but the Cornhuskers are poised to get an NCAA tournament bid Sunday.
Gophers men hoping for NIT bid Sunday, but it's certainly no lock
The Gophers went 18-14 and 9-11 during the Big Ten Regular season before getting bounced from the conference tournament by Michigan State.
Heide, Holloman relive state title matchup during Big Ten tournament
The former Minnesota prep standouts faced off Friday when Purdue beat Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament.
Gophers: 'Imagine what we could do' next season
As the Gophers wait for a possible NIT bid Sunday, roll call for next season has begun. Elijah Hawkins will return. Dawson Garcia and Cam Christie are undecided.
Gophers overmatched in 10-point loss to Michigan State; season over?
The Gophers led by two points at halftime, but couldn't hold off the Spartans at the Big Ten tournament with their fifth loss in six games. Now, the waiting game for a possible NIT berth.
Gophers point guard Hawkins 'definitely coming back next year'
After Thursday's loss to Michigan State, Gophers point guard Elijah Hawkins made it clear he doesn't have plans to transfer.
Gophers, Spartans both riding 1-4 skids into Big Ten hoops tourney
The Gophers must drastically improve on defense to have a chance to make a Big Ten men's basketball tournament run, starting Thursday against the Spartans.
Garcia believes U isn't done winning. But will he be here for that?
The Gophers will open the Big Ten tournament Thursday morning vs. Michigan State, with Dawson Garcia delaying his decision on whether to return for another season.
Gophers' Garcia, Christie named to All-Big Ten teams
The Gophers men's basketball team's leading scorer, Dawson Garcia, and top freshman, Cam Christie, were named to All-Big Ten basketball teams.
Gophers improved this season. So why is Ben Johnson frustrated?
Johnson stood outside the visitors' locker room at Northwestern on Saturday night, unhappy about his team's fourth loss in five games — and what it didn't represent.
10 players to watch at the Big Ten tournament at Target Center
The Big Ten men's basketball tournament makes its Minneapolis debut this week, and here are some of the stars in conference play this season.
Five Minnesotans to watch at Big Ten men's basketball tournament
The Gophers have key players from Minnesota — Dawson Garcia, Pharrel Payne and Parker Fox among them. — and there are other homegrown standouts returning to the state this week.
Four things learned in Gophers basketball's loss to Northwestern to end regular season
Garcia may travel well, but the Gophers defense struggles to match his energy on the road lately.
Gophers men's basketball to face Michigan State in Big Ten tournament
Ben Johnson's Gophers play their first game in the Big Ten tournament early Thursday at Target Center.
Gophers smothered by Northwestern 90-66 in final game of regular season
Dawson Garcia finished with his third 30-point game of the season to lead the Gophers, but the momentum was entirely in Northwestern's favor from the opening tip.
Gophers' Braeden Carrington back from concussion, but Joshua Ola-Joseph out at Northwestern
Sophomores Braeden Carrington and Joshua Ola-Joseph had been recovering from concussions this week, but only one of them was cleared to play Saturday in Evanston.
U men's basketball excited about future, with one big 'if' in play
Gophers athletics director Mark Coyle isn't in the habit of making big statements about his teams a year in advance. But there's something about this team that excites him.
Gophers could land No. 8 seed for Big Ten tourney with win Saturday
The Gophers hope to finish league play strong by completing a season sweep of Northwestern.
Meet the NIL era MVGs: Most Valuable Gophers
Jeremiah Carter and Kiara Buford are tasked with keeping University of Minnesota coaches, leaders and athletes up to speed and in-bounds on all NIL matters.
Four things learned from the Gophers' stumble against Indiana
The Gophers took a deflating 70-58 loss to Indiana on Wednesday night in what could be the final game at Williams Arena for Parker Fox.
Gophers men lack urgency, lose to Indiana in final home game
For the second time this season, the Gophers were done in by Indiana's inside game. "We just didn't have the right mentality today," forward Parker Fox noted.
Get ready, Minnesota. A dozen days of basketball bliss are coming.
Basketball Across Minnesota: Minneapolis is about to become the center of the college basketball world. Hoops diehards are salivating over what they'll be able to see at Target Center.
Gophers vs. Indiana. Are there NCAA hopes, however slim, to play for?
The Gophers play their final home game of the season Wednesday against Indiana with a chance to finish with six straight victories at Williams Arena.
One and done? U's Christie puts off talk about entering NBA draft.
You won't see freshman Cam Christie's name often on NBA mock drafts for this year. But scouts are keeping an eye on the two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
U men's basketball leaned on crowd energy, home court in comeback
Ben Johnson's Gophers overcame a 23-point deficit Saturday vs. Penn State to earn their 16th win at Williams Arena, their most since 2016-17.
U men eke out 75-70 win vs. Penn State after making big comeback
The Gophers rallied from a 23-point deficit in the first half to win its fifth consecutive home game on Senior Day.
Gophers men's basketball needs a jump-start Saturday vs. Penn State
The Gophers used a victory at Penn State to start a winning streak earlier this season, so the rematch against the Nittany Lions has a chance to do the same.
Why the Gophers are a longshot for NCAA tournament
Improvement is unquestioned, but a weak schedule and a weak conference will keep the men's team from dancing ... unless there's a lot of madness (and winning) this March.
March Madness a long shot, but U men have these things to play for
Losing to Illinois decreased Minnesota's already slim chance of an NCAA basketball tournament bid. But there are still things to motivate the team through its final regular-season games,
What's better than an NCAA tourney berth? Two for the same MN school.
Basketball Across Minnesota: The Gustavus women have won three consecutive MIAC tournament championships. The men's team won its first since 2005 with a dramatic run.
Gophers can't keep up with No. 13 Illinois in 105-97 loss
Despite shooting 60% from the field and 29 points from Dawson Garcia, Minnesota fell to 0-15 against ranked opponents under coach Ben Johnson.
What's the key to improving the Gophers men's offense?
With Dawson Garcia and Pharrel Payne forming a tough inside duo, Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson doesn't want his team so reliant on outside shots.
Gophers men's basketball looks to put road struggles behind at Illinois
The Gophers haven't won in Champaign since 2017. Ending that drought would top their NCAA tournament résumé this season.
Lack of intensity annoys Johnson in Gophers loss to Nebraska
Poor shooting and getting overwhelmed by the Cornhuskers at the basket weren't the only issues in the one-sided defeat at Lincoln.
Gophers outplayed from start to finish in crushing loss to Nebraska
The Gophers fell behind early and were blown out in the second half as they failed to do things they'd done well in recent victories.
Gophers' Johnson saw firsthand how Nebraska built home-court advantage
As a Huskers assistant coach in 2012-2013, Ben Johnson saw the start of the intimidating party atmosphere still present in today's Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Gophers point guard Hawkins emerges as the engine for their late-season push
After leading Howard to last year's NCAA tournament, Elijah Hawkins transferred to bring the winning mentality he learned in high school to Ben Johnson's Gophers, too.
Gophers men's basketball at Nebraska game preview: Broadcast info and analysis
Marcus Fuller's breakdown: The Gophers haven't won in Lincoln in more than a decade but need to start stacking road victories Sunday to boost their NCAA tournament résumé.
'Thunder and Lightning' sparked Gophers win over Ohio State
Four Things Learned: The Gophers defeated ex-teammate Jamison Battle, thanks largely to point guard Elijah Hawkins and the inside duo of Dawson Garcia and Pharrel Payne.
Battle tested: Gophers start fast, soar past Ohio State 88-79
Point guard Elijah Hawkins had a career scoring high and Gophers fans jeered whenever former U star Jamison Battle touched the ball for the Buckeyes.
State's best young dunker? A future Badger . . . or an Edina ninth-grader?
Basketball Across Minnesota: Breck senior Daniel Freitag and Edina freshman Vinny Cronin are the two most mentioned when the subject comes up among those who watch a lot of high school basketball.
One key to Gophers basketball improvement: Tougher defense
When the Gophers reeled off a three-game winning streak recently, Penn State, Northwestern and Michigan State combined to shoot only 34% from the field after halftime.
Gophers aim to spoil Battle's homecoming at the Barn
The Gophers might take it personal with ex-U standout Jamison Battle returning to Williams Arena for the first time with the Buckeyes.
What worked for Gophers? Payne, a slick offense, clutch free throws.
Four things we learned from the Gophers men's basketball team's win vs. Rutgers that raised their record to .500 in the Big Ten.
