The Gophers men's basketball team will play Loyola Marymount twice to replace a matchup with North Dakota State as part of its multi-team event Saturday and Monday at Williams Arena, a source told the Star Tribune.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Minnesota, the Gophers are now only allowed to play one opponent during a three-day span at home.
LMU was originally scheduled to play the Gophers in the MTE in Minneapolis. But NDSU recently had expected to replace Eastern Washington in the event.
Loyola Marymount is led by first-year coach Stan Johnson, who replaced Mike Dunlap after the team finished 11-21 in his sixth season. The Lions return 6-foot-6, 245-pound senior Eli Scott, who averaged 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. Scott played at Chino Hills High School in California with the Ball brothers, Lonzo and LaMelo.
Johnson, a former Marquette assistant, is familiar with Minnesota since he helped the Golden Eagles sign former Prior Lake five-star big man Dawson Garcia, now a freshman.
Johnson's first big recruiting get at LMU was convincing 7-3 Swedish center Mattias Markusson to return to the program. Minnesota, Louisville and San Diego State were also finalists for Markusson when he entered the transfer portal in the spring.
