Complete coverage of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA. Latest scores, player stats, schedule, standings, game highlights and sports commentary from the Star Tribune.
The Gophers haven't played the toughest schedule to open the season, but several things about coach Ben Johnson's team have been revealed in its undefeated start.
Pregame: Jamison Battle, a sophomore transfer, ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring entering Wednesday vs. Jacksonville, but he's also an improved defender.
Minnesota enters Friday's game vs. Purdue Fort Wayne ranked second-to-last among D-I teams in bench minutes played. Can the U develop more depth than it's shown so far?
Balanced scoring was one of the biggest takeaways in the victory, and there was an added boost from an NCAA rule put into place because of the pandemic.
Last season, Minnesota set a program record in futility by shooting 28.4% from three-point range. Not many of the 347 D-I teams in the nation were worse.
Marcus Carr and Liam Robbins led the Gophers men's basketball team in several categories last season. But they transferred and new leaders must emerge.