Gophers MBB Makes AP Poll Debut

Richard Pitino and the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team is officially in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll (AP Poll), voted on by college basketball writers across the country.

They debut at #21 and there are now NINE Big Ten men’s basketball teams in the AP Top-25.

Hello, @AP_Top25 pic.twitter.com/XGiMivoVnQ

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) December 28, 2020

This is the first time the Gopher men’s basketball team has been ranked since 2017-2018, when they jumped out to a hot start, climbing to #12 overall, before Reggie Lynch assault accusations derailed a hope-ridden season. Minnesota finished 15-17 that year.

The Coaches Poll will release a bit later today, but I expect them to fall around the same area.

Back Tonight

The Minnesota Gophers are back in action tonight vs Michigan State, at The Barn. MSU is coming off back-to-back losses to start Big Ten play and have dropped to #17 in the AP. They’ll be hungry but Pitino’s Gophers should be too.

This is only the second game in a gauntlet stretch of 7 ranked teams in 7 games.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan