Cade Tyson scores 38 points as Gophers rout Texas Southern

Cade Tyson scored career-high 38 points and tied a Gophers single-game record with eight three-pointers to lead the Gophers men’s basketball team to a 89-53 victory over Texas Southern on Sunday at Williams Arena.

But Tyson’s offensive outburst isn’t what Gophers coach Niko Medved will remember from the game.

“I’ll remember the 11 rebounds,” Medved told KFAN radio after the game. “He was in there battling, his lip was bloody.”

Tyson’s point total is the eighth-most in program history and was the most by a Gophers player since Jamison Battle scored 39 in an 84-73 home loss to Maryland on March 2, 2022. Tyson, the 6-foot-7 transfer from North Carolina who was 8-of-12 from three-point range, is one of six Gophers with eight three-pointers. The previous one was Payton Willis in a 68-65 home victory over Rutgers on Jan. 22, 2022.

Medved also liked another area of the Gophers’ offensive production — the Gophers had assists on 27 of their 28 field goals.

“From Day 1, we’ve preached ball movement. We’re not a team built to play one-on-one,” Medved told KFAN. “They came out in a zone and we kept moving and cutting and getting in the lane and finding open teammates.”

The Gophers shot 49% (28-of-57) from the floor and 44% from three-point range (15-of-34) as they improved to 6-0 at Williams Arena.

BOXSCORE: Gophers 89, Texas Southern 53

The Gophers (6-5), who led 45-25 at halftime, also got 14 points from Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, 13 points and six assists from Isaac Asuma and 12 points from Bobby Durkin.

Point guard Langston Reynolds, making his fourth start since replacing Chansey Willis Jr., who suffered a season-ending injury, had 10 assists along with six rebounds and three points.

“[Reynolds’] impact was tremendous,” Medved said. “He created a lot of opportunities.”

Alex Anderson scored 11 points to lead the Tigers (1-7). The Tigers’ 0-5 road record includes losses at Gonzaga, ranked No. 3 in the NCAA net rankings, and at Vanderbilt, ranked No. 6.

Five other Gophers scored between six and 12 points as the Gophers improved to 8-3, including 8-1 at home.

Amaya Battle had 12 points and eight rebounds and Tori McKinney had 12 points and five assists for the Gophers.

The Gophers used a 17-0 run in the first quarter to open a 19-4 lead after 10 minutes. After Wyoming made a three-pointer at the start of the second quarter, the Gophers went on a 14-0 run to open a 33-7 lead.

The Gophers shot 69% from the field in the first half in building a 48-17 halftime lead. They started the second half with a 15-2 run to extend their lead to 63-19.

BOXSCORE: Gophers 80, Wyoming 34

Malene Pedersen scored 10 points to lead the Cowboys.