Gophers coaches excited for Minneapolis hosting Big Ten basketball events despite some criticism

Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson used his opening news conference at Big Ten media days Wednesday to address recent criticism about Minneapolis hosting the event for the first time this year.

There were social media posts Tuesday about coaches allegedly complaining about the Big Ten deciding not to have media days again in either Indianapolis or Chicago.

The Big Ten tournament is scheduled to be at Target Center for women's basketball this season and for both men's and women's basketball in 2023-24.

"We live in a world where a lot of things get criticized and I don't think you can make a right move," Johnson said. "I don't think change and doing new things is a bad thing. ... Minneapolis does a great job hosting. We use this opportunity to show off our state and show off our city."

The Twin Cities already hosted the women's Final Four last season and the Super Bowl and men's Final Four in past years, so the Big Ten's move wasn't surprising.

Gophers women's basketball coach Lindsay Whalen expressed her excitement for Minneapolis having the women's Big Ten tourney in back-to-back years. Whalen, a former Gophers and Lynx star, knows all too well how much support exists for the sport in her home state.

"We've had in this building several times 18,000 people for games," Whalen said. "The fans, the support, the community, were just as much a part of the team as us on the floor. I feel like it was a shared experience. It's been fun to be a part of that. I expect nothing less for this upcoming tournament."

Before the Gophers coaches took the podium Wednesday, Ohio State men's coach Chris Holtmann decided to open his news conference joking about the supposed frustration by some of his peers for the media day location change.

"Appreciate the city of Minneapolis hosting Big Ten Media Day," Holtmann said. "I know there's some reports of coaches complaining about it being up here but, suffice it to say, I wouldn't take it personal. We're coaches, we'd complain if it was in our backyards."

Wisconsin center Steven Crowl had no choice but to add to his slender 7-foot frame when he arrived in Madison barely above 200 pounds. And he's come a long way since then.

A noticeably bigger Crowl is now up to 240 pounds entering his junior year as a second-year starter for the Badgers. He's part of an all-Minnesotan frontline with senior Tyler Wahl.

"Something for me was always adding weight and getting stronger," Crowl said. "I think I've done that."

Gophers junior forward Jamison Battle actually lost 17 pounds and is down to 7% body fat by changing his diet this summer. He's now 6-7 and 220 pounds.

"I knew the transition from playing mostly [power forward] last year to probably playing mostly on the perimeter this year — I knew I had to change my body," Battle said. "I think in changing my body I got a little bit faster, a little bit stronger."

The Gophers also said 6-9 freshman Pharrel Payne from Cottage Grove is now 255 pounds. Payne has proven to be arguably the U's strongest player during weight training since joining the program this summer.

The Gophers will play Colorado State in a closed scrimmage on Oct. 22 in Minneapolis. Next season, Minnesota is planning to be part of the 2023 Continental Tire Main Event in November in Las Vegas.