Ty Berry was on his second official visit when he came to Minnesota, but it was the first time he got to experience the fan atmosphere at a Big Ten school. Berry, a 6-foot-2 guard at Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.), enjoyed sitting with the Gophers basketball team as they watched the U football team beat South Dakota State at TCF Bank Stadium last Thursday.

“That was a solid game,” the three-star prospect told the Star Tribune. “I had a good time with the coaching staff and my parents.”

Still, what impressed Berry the most about the entire visit was being able to chat with Minnesota coach Richard Pitino about the program. Previously, Berry’s communication had mostly been with assistant Kyle Lindsted.

“It improved my perspective on Minnesota,” Berry said. “At first, I was a little skeptical and didn’t know how I was going to like it and all that. After the visit, I talked to my parents. It was a fun time. It looks like a place where I could be at.”

MARCUS FULLER