Minnesota Scene: U to play four games in NIT Tip-Off

The Gophers men's basketball team will play two home games and two games at Madison Square Garden as part of the NIT Season Tip-Off held over Thanksgiving weekend.

Minnesota will host Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 and Division II Franklin Pierce at the same time Nov. 20. The Gophers will then head to New York, along with fellow host teams Georgia, Gonzaga and St. John's.

The Gophers will face St. John's in one semifinal on Nov. 26 on ESPNU. A championship game (ESPN2, 6 p.m.), as well as a consolation game (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.), will be held on Nov. 28.

Minnesota was at Madison Square Garden in April, when the Gophers claimed the NIT title.

• The Gophers got their third commitment on Friday night, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Center Jonathan Nwankwo, a three-star athlete in the 2015 class according to rivals.com, said he would play for the Gophers on the first day of his official visit to Minnesota. Nwankwo, currently in high school in Florida, chose the Gophers over Seton Hall, Boston College, Tennessee and others.

AMELIA RAYNO

Big Ten co-medalist Jose Mendez, a sophomore, and Jon DuToit, a junior who tied for 12th in the conference meet, return.

Junior Daly Santana had a career-high 21 kills, 11 digs and hit .444 as the No. 18-ranked Gophers defeated Yale 25-23, 25-11, 25-19 on Friday night in the Yale Invitational in New Haven, Conn. Santana, a 6-1 outside hitter from Puerto Rico, also had three aces, two solo blocks and two assists.

Olivia Harrison's goal with about three minutes left in the second overtime gave Mississippi a 3-2 women's soccer victory over the Gophers in the Rebel Classic in Oxford, Miss.

Josee Stiever scored in the 55th minute and Simone Kolander in the 70th to put the Gophers (3-2) ahead 2-0. But Ole Miss (3-1-1) answered with two goals in under two minutes, the second in the 82nd minute, to tie. Tarah Hobbs had seven saves for Minnesota.

• Forward Kyle Rau will be the captain of the Gophers men's hockey team in 2014-15. Forward Seth Ambroz and defenseman Ben Marshall will be alternate captains. All three are seniors. Rau was a team co-captain last season.