Scoggins: Déjà vu visits the ol’ Barn as Gophers upset Indiana in Big Ten opener

A night like this provides hope. It provides belief that maybe better days are around the corner.

The Gophers men’s basketball program has wandered through the wilderness for a long time. Way too long, which is why a moment like what unfolded Wednesday night feels like sunrays poking through clouds.

On paper, the Gophers had no business winning their Big Ten opener against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Riding a three-game losing streak — and not against powerhouse programs either — the Gophers were missing three of their top eight players because of injury, including starting point guard Chansey Willis Jr.

The Hoosiers came to town undefeated and ranked No. 22 nationally.

The Gophers didn’t flinch.

They dug in and reminded themselves that effort and hustle can paper over deficiencies.

Medved jumped and pumped his fist on the sideline as the final seconds ticked off the clock and students conducted the first court storming of the Niko Medved Era.

Gophers-Hoosiers box score

“What a night, a special night for so many reasons,” said Medved, a former Gophers student and team manager. “It’s really hard to be prouder of a group than I am of these guys.”

His first Big Ten win qualifies as a stunner.

The Gophers’ depth is thinner than floss because of injuries. Losing a senior point guard and floor leader is hardly ideal for a coach trying to elevate a program in his first season, but whining about it gets nowhere.

“You just tell them the truth,” he said. “You can’t say, ‘Well guys, you’re going to play more minutes so let’s not play as hard now. Let’s try to save yourself to play all those minutes.’ There’s none of that. There’s no choice.”

Four starters logged at least 36 minutes, led by Cade Tyson’s 40. All five starters scored in double figures. A day of rest is in order.

The Gophers were already shorthanded when their best post player, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, picked up his third foul less than a minute into the second half and went to the bench. Backup post Grayson Grove received his fourth foul 12 seconds later and joined him.

“You’re like, Oh man gosh, what are we going to do?” Medved said. “Are we going to play five guards?”

Sophomore big man Nehemiah Turner, who had played 27 minutes total this season, joined the fight and brought a jolt of energy.

“You can’t wilt,” Medved said.

They stood firm, especially on defense, holding the Hoosiers to 33% shooting in the second half, and discovered what must become their overarching identity. One sequence encapsulated it.

Indiana’s Tucker DeVries stole the ball and had a clear path to the basket for a breakaway dunk. Grove had other ideas.

DeVries slowed down a tick, which allowed a sprinting Grove to catch him and disrupt his dunk. Grove gathered himself quickly and sprinted back to the other end of the court. He caught a pass in the lane and drew a hard foul that sent him to the free throw line.

“Unbelievable winning play,” Medved said. “That sets the tone for what you have to do.”

“The guys felt that the whole game, but maybe that run brought us another level of focus,” Medved said. “Man, we’re right here, this game is for the taking, let’s go get it.”

They went and took it.

The outcome carried some cosmic alignment.

More than five decades ago, in the winter of 1972, Bill Musselman coached his first Big Ten game as Gophers coach against the No. 5 ranked Indiana Hoosiers.

The Gophers pulled off a one-point upset, 52-51, at Williams Arena.