The Gophers have rattled off three straight wins after their 0-6 start. They have beaten 20th-ranked Michigan, Iowa and 15th-ranked Oregon. That moves them out of last place in the conference and into the last spot for the Big Ten Tournament in March.

Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia named Player of the Week

A big reason for the turnaround the past few games has been the play of Senior Dawson Garcia. The senior forward averaged 26 points, eight rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in the Gophers’ last three wins. Those number have earned him Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Monday. It’s the second time he’s won the award in his career.

The best in the B1G 🗣@Dawson23lee

📰: https://t.co/zq3i1TenE9 pic.twitter.com/WbtKmp9Hmz

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) January 27, 2025

On the season, Garcia is averaging 19.7 points per game, good for third in the Big Ten and 21st in the NCAA. He’s shooting an efficient 49.8%, including a 37.3% mark from three. He’s had five straight games of 20 or more points, tying him with Amir Coffey for the longest streak in Minnesota Gopher program history.

Related: What We’ve Learned About Gophers Men’s Basketball During Impossible 3-Game Win Streak

In all, Garcia has 13 games with 20-plus points, the most in the Big Ten, with two of those being 30-point performances. He’s also added double-digit performances in four more contests, making him the Gophers’ one-man wrecking crew.

Garcia’s journey home to MN

The Big Ten Player of the Week honor is a testament to Dawson Garcia’s perseverance. Coming out of Prior Lake High School in Savage, MN, Garcia was a four-star prospect according to 247Sports. He initially committed to play at Marquette before the 2020-21 season. He started all 27 games and averaged a team-high 13 points, but a ninth-place finish in the Big East caused a coaching change and led Garcia into the transfer portal.

Garcia made his way to North Carolina for the next season, and was part of a Tar Heel team that made it to the national championship game. This came with a decrease in playing time, and the reduced minutes. In addition, a family illness ultimately forced Garcia to step away from the team midway through the year.

That led him back home to Minnesota and into a Gopher uniform. In three years donning the maroon and gold, Garcia has steadily improved both his scoring and his shooting, raising both marks by over four points. In the best season of his career, he’s playing like a Player of the Year candidate. The Gophers have been reaping the rewards, especially the past week.

DAWSON GARCIA!

AT THE BUZZER. FROM THE LOGO. FOR THE WIN.@GopherMBB x #B1GMBBall pic.twitter.com/4DAwJ1u1ch

— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) January 17, 2025

The Minnesota Gophers’ rest of season outlook

There’s still a lot of season left before the Big Ten Tournament, so the recent stretch of play does not guarantee Minnesota gets in. The good news is the hardest part of their schedule is behind them, but challenges still await.

It starts with a big test on Tuesday, where the Gophers head to Michigan State to take on the seventh-ranked Spartans. The Spartans are undefeated in Big Ten play at 8-0. When the two teams met earlier this year, the Gophers fell 72-90, where Garcia had a team-high 18 points. Minnesota will need more of that from him if they want to compete with one of the best teams in the country.

Related: Dawson Garcia Gave Minnesota Gophers a Massive 50% Off NIL Discount to Stay Home

Eleven days after, they get Illinois at home who is a team that has had a rough patch as of late. However they still sit tied for fifth in the Big Ten with nice wins over Arkansas, Wisconsin and Oregon. They also have close losses to Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan State.

If the Gophers can string a few more wins together, they’ll be a shoo-in to make it to Indianapolis, but they’d need to win the whole thing in order to make the NCAA Tournament. If they keep playing like they have the last three games, they’ve got a shot at least.

Best for the Minnesota Gophers

Starting at $79.99/mo

The Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team ended last season with a 19-15 overall record, missing out on the NCAA tournament. Will this year turn the tide for the Gophers? We’ll have to watch and see. Learn how to watch Minnesota Gophers basketball games this 2024-2025 season here. 

The Minnesota Gophers basketball season is officially underway, with their record currently standing at 15-12. Check out this week’s games here, and preview the whole schedule down below:

• 2/22: Minnesota vs. Penn State @ 2:00 pm ET
• 2/25: Minnesota vs. Northwestern @ 7:00 pm ET
• 3/1: Minnesota vs. Nebraska @ 2:00 pm ET

Related: Ben Johnson’s Gophers Basketball Program Still Way Behind in NIL

Where to Stream Minnesota Gophers Basketball Games

You can watch the Minnesota Gophers basketball team on several channels including ACC Network, BTN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, etc. These channels can be accessed through cable, but you can also enjoy them through streaming services like FuboTV. Check out all the channel options through Fubo below, with a range of subscription prices. 

Check Out: How to Watch March Madness in 2025

How to Watch Minnesota Gophers Basketball on FuboTV

Full of sports-centered content including the Minnesota Gophers basketball team and the rest of the NCAA is FuboTV. The streaming service features several college basketball channels including ACC Network, BTN, SEC Network, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, etc. FuboTV offers three subscription tiers: Pro, Elite, and Premier, starting at $79.99/month. New users will receive a seven-day free trial, and you can cancel anytime. 

Minnesota Gophers Basketball 2024-2025 Schedule

As Minnesota’s season kicks into high gear, check out their complete schedule here to catch all the action plus any last-minute updates in the schedule. Games will begin in November and continue through March, especially if the Golden Gophers make it to March Madness. 

Check Out: Hidden Streaming Deals: When to Sign Up for Services and Pay the Least Amount

FAQs

The Minnesota Gophers entered last season with projections having them finishing well out of the Big Ten race. However, the nucleus of something to dream on was there, and the hope was that Ben Johnson’s program could compete at the top of the conference as early as 2024. After losing 60 percent of their starting lineup, that seemed to be a longshot. Then they got a big time commitment from Trey Edmonds.

Leaving the University of Texas-San Antonio, Trey Edmonds was among the big names left in the transfer portal. A Colorado native, the 6-foot-10 junior brings a 7.0 point per game average to Minnesota. He was considering schools such as Ole Miss and Cincinnati as well, but immediately will jump into the Gophers starting lineup.

NEWS: UTSA transfer forward Trey Edmonds has committed to Minnesota, his agents at NEXT Sports tell @On3sports.https://t.co/h2FrVpCwfc pic.twitter.com/occsVTdStu

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 6, 2024

Trey Edmonds is a Win for Minnesota

The Gophers have watched multiple players leave the program this offseason. Most recently it was Cam Christie, who was looking into the NBA Draft but ultimately decided the transfer portal would land him a better opportunity. Johnson has also lost Pharrel Payne and Elijah Hawkins despite previous comments that he would return.

Trey Edmonds is a much-needed commitment for the Gophers. He represents a high-quality player that could immediately make an impact in a much better conference, and he’ll have an opportunity to play with a few Gophers that decided to return for another year. He also has familiarity with The Barn having played against the Gophers last season in the Roadrunners second game.

Related: Cam Christie is Not Returning to Minnesota; Gophers’ Dreadful NIL Budget Revealed

Despite playing just 19 minutes, he put up 12 points and was 5-of-11 from the field.

Edmonds Joins Others in Minnesota

With Johnson having lost so much of his roster from a season ago, the transfer portal has been an avenue for him to replace players as well. Before Trey Edmonds committed to Minnesota on Monday, it was Macalaster’s Caleb Williams and New Mexico State’s Femi Odukale that joined the Gophers squad.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Grab Two Backcourt Transfer Portal Commitments

Seniors Mike Mitchell and Dawson Garcia both are returning for their final year, but if Minnesota is going to reach the heights they were once projected for within the conference, then they will need an immediate amount of chemistry to form from their group of transfers. Edmonds is certainly the best talent Johnson has landed, and he’ll be expected to lead that group.

Edmonds and Frank Mitchell Can Stand Out

The transfer portal has ushered in a new wave of college athletics. Finding the right fit and best opportunity is something that every talent is looking for. With Trey Edmonds, Minnesota is his third school since leaving the prep scene, and on the biggest stage, he’ll look to make the largest impact at Minnesota.

With Edmonds in the fold, there is someone else to compete with 6-foot-8 forward Frank Mitchell for the title of best transfer. The Canisius product is a rebounding machine, and he is more than capable of putting up double-double production. If there is another standout to note, it would be former Oregon guard Brennan Rigbsy.

This is how collegiate athletics work now, and the transfer portal has presented a new wrinkle for coaching staffs across the country. Landing a big time commitment from Trey Edmonds helps Minnesota to soften the blow of their departures, but they’ll need to show poise if they want to be among the best in the Big Ten.

Related: Ben Johnson Found a Future Star in True Freshman Cam Christie

With just over a month left in the regular season, the Gophers find themselves in the middle of the Big Ten (7th) and still very much a part of NCAA tournament conversations.

Cam Christie Earns Big Ten Freshman of the Week

After a thrilling, come-from-behind, overtime win against Northwestern this past Saturday at the Barn, Cam Christie was awarded Big Ten freshman of the week with a 15 point, 6 rebound performance; 10 of his points came in the second half.

🏀 #B1GMBBall WEEKLY AWARDS 🏀

🔵 Player: @BoilerBall's Zach Edey
🔵 Freshman: @GopherMBB's Cam Christie

➕ https://t.co/f4SNy5dHw9 pic.twitter.com/4BZbnQP3iV

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 5, 2024

Cam grabs the Gophers first Freshman of The Week award since 2019(!) when former Minnesota big man Daniel Oturu took home the honors. This is also only the second “of the week” award any Gopher has received this season, with Dawson Garcia earning Player of The Week previously this season.

Christie, younger brother of Lakers SG Max Christie, went 6 of 12 from the field and 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, including his biggest shot of the game being a three coming with just under a minute left in regulation to give the Gophers their first lead of the second half, eventually leading to an OT win.

A cold blooded 3 from @24CameronC 🥶

That crowd tho ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/bWbeaH80jI

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) February 4, 2024

Saturday night vs Northwestern wasn’t the only big game Christie has had recently. It didn’t count toward his award-winning week but Cam had a really nice game two weeks ago vs Penn State, scoring 17 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dealing 5 assists in a victory against Penn State.

Minnesota Gophers an NCAA Tournament Team?

The Gophers will look to keep the momentum going as they welcome Michigan State to the Barn this Tuesday. They are in the thick of conference play, and currently sit half of a game back of fourth place in the Big Ten, with matchups against Iowa and second ranked Purdue coming up after the Spartans.

Related: Adrian Peterson’s Daughter; 8th-Grader Ari Peterson Offered by Minnesota Gophers WBB

I’m not saying they are going to be a top seed, but finishing strong in Big Ten play, with the possibility of an upset against a team like Wisconsin or Illinois, this team could have a serious case for a chance to be on the right side of an upset come tournament time.

Richard Pitino and Gopher Men’s Basketball received some massive news Wednesday afternoon. After much deliberation, the NCAA has finally granted Drake transfer, Liam Robbins, his waiver for eligibility during the 2020-21 season.

The announcement comes months after he declared his decision to transfer, early this summer. Robbins is now eligible to suit up immediately for the Gophers. A decision on Both Gach still awaits, but that’s not surprising because the Gophers haven’t sent his request in yet.

Source: Minnesota’s Liam Robbins has received a waiver from the NCAA and is eligible for the 20-21 season.

Transfer from Drake.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 2, 2020

LIAM ROBBINS

A Davenport, Iowa native and former University of Drake standout, Robbins transferred to play in the Big Ten, while also being closer to family amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Robbins’ uncle is Minnesota Associate Head Coach, Ed Conroy, and senior walk-on, Hunt Conroy, is Liam’s cousin.

Heavily under-recruited in high school, Robbins played an extra season of ball at Sunrise Christian Academy, the same school that sophomore guard Tre Williams previously attended.

But after averaging 14.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game and shooting 49.9% from the field and 69.4% from the charity stripe, Robbins was under-recruited no more. He earned offers from schools across the country, but eventually picked the Gophers. 

Now eligible to play immediately, Robbins should vault the Gophers from the bottom of the Big Ten to the middle of the pack or higher. He brings a great deal of experience and talent to the Gophers, on top of a very formidable jump shot.

Significant Big Ten News.

If Minnesota also receives a waiver for Both Gach, Richard Pitino will have an NCAA Tournament caliber team. https://t.co/I0bg7zOSR4

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 2, 2020

#Gophers haven't sent the waiver yet for Utah transfer Both Gach. But it's highly likely since he's from Austin, Minn. coming home during a pandemic. Gach and Liam Robbins are projected starters for 2020-21 season if both eligible.

— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) September 2, 2020

BOTH GACH

Gach, the former Austin (MN) High School standout, announced his plans to transfer from the University of Utah earlier this summer. This past season, the 6-foot-6, 183-pound guard averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Utes, while also shooting 39.7% from the field and 25% from three. A desire to come back home, where a member of his family is dealing with health issues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, was likely the reason for his departure.

In addition to transferring, Gach also had the option to declare for the draft this year, but ultimately decided to wait another season and develop his game in the meantime.

I would love to give a huge Thank you to all the schools that took the time to recruit me but at this time I’m excited to commit to the University of Minnesota and join coach Pitino and his staff ….. Excited to be back home 〽️ ?? pic.twitter.com/NeIeN2AtQB

— Both Gach (@TutBoth) June 15, 2020

GACH’S HOMECOMING

Both Gach is expected to get his waiver request approved in easier fashion than Robbins, and should also make a large impact immediately. When watching Gach’s game, he has similar skills to former Gophers star Amir Coffey.

A few particular things stick out: his finishing ability, shot-making ability, and the ability to play anywhere on the court. Part of why he is able to do these things so well is his good body control. This shows most in his finishing ability at the hoop. He displayed that ability against All-Pac 12 guard McKinley Wright in the gif below. 

via GIPHY

I could keep going on about how good he is, but luckily I already wrote a piece about what he brings to the Gophers. Read that piece here.

With Robbins receiving his waiver for this season, and Gach looking likely to be granted a waiver as well, the Gophers roster for the 2020-21 season is suddenly looking very strong.

They will need to be. The Big Ten conference will be no joke in 2020-21. Richard Pitino may find some job security if the group performs well.

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan

Amir Coffey finally got his chance to shine with the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night, and shine he did. In a game where the Clippers rested four of their starters for the upcoming playoffs, the former Minnesota Golden Gophers forward recorded career-high’s in points (21), assists (4) and steals (4), while also playing a career-high 50 minutes. His effort helped lead the Clippers to a 107-103 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Final Stats ?

Mann 25 PTS / 14 REB / 9 AST / 2 STL
Coffey 21 PTS / 4 AST / 4 STL
Patterson 17 PTS / 14 REB
Green 13 PTS / 3 3PM / 8 REB
Noah 9 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST
McGruder 9 PTS / 11 PTS / 2 STL
Jackson 7 PTS / 3 AST
Zubac 6 PTS / 4 REB / 1 BLK

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 15, 2020

CASSELL IMPRESSED

With rookie Terrance Mann also tallying 25 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, assistant coach Sam Cassell, who coached Friday’s game in place of head coach Doc Rivers, was impressed with both Coffey and Mann’s play:

“We expect the same things from our young guys that we expect from the stars of our team: play hard, play together,” Cassell said. “I’m coaching them hard, Doc was out there the first half, he coached them hard. Those guys did a great job doing the things we need to do to win the basketball game.”

Cassel via ESPN

#HNBMediaTV: Postgame @ReelTPJ got to chat with Sam Cassell after his 1st coaching win. He also spoke to young players Terrance Mann and Amir Coffey on the #Clippers win tonight. The stars didn't play tonight, but the effort was brought. LA Clippers finish the season 49-23. #NBA pic.twitter.com/hjQT28CVjG

— The New Show Clips Podcast (@NewShowInLA) August 15, 2020

COFFEY ON FULL DISPLAY

Like Cassel said, Amir did a great job and even decided to include a few highlight dunks in the game. The dunks, which resembled his days in the Maroon and Gold, were on full display all night. Transition dunks, lob dunks, poster dunks, you name it and Amir did it. As you can see below, the best dunk was the one that didn’t even count. 

Just brew-tiful.@FoxSportsWest | @coffeyshop_ pic.twitter.com/SjX94DOCfc

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 14, 2020

Amir Coffey is ballin' ballin' pic.twitter.com/5Ap7UDCh81

— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) August 15, 2020

It didn't count…

BUT AMIR COFFEY WHAT ?#ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/0J3eOSj1fS

— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) August 15, 2020

NOT JUST DUNKS

But the dunks weren’t the only way he impacted the game. He also led the Clippers in the plus-minus category with a +11 output. Considering that he played 50 minutes, a+11 is really good, as it is harder to get a positive plus-minus the more minutes one plays.

Overall, his play on Friday was undoubtedly the best — and most — he’s played all season. Coming into Friday’s game against the Thunder, Coffey had only played 11:36 since the season restarted. And prior to that, 24:31 was his most time played in a single game the whole year. That game was a 41-point blowout win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 9. 

MORE TO COME?

But we should see a lot more of Coffey next year, however. After being signed to a two-way deal as an undrafted free agent in last years draft, Coffey spent the early part of the year in the G-League, where he played 15 games and averaged 15.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in just under 30 minutes per game. 

That output was enough to keep him with the big boys, where he played in 13 of the last 15 games before the league shut down in mid-March due to COVID-19. After Friday’s game, Amir talked about what it means to be playing with the Clippers under coach Doc Rivers: 

“Doc is a head coach that’s been in the league for a while now. He’s won championships, he’s had great coaching seasons, he’s won a lot of games. So just coming into the league it was just a blessing to be under a guy like him, and now it just shows how much a teacher of the game he is. (He’s) one of those coaches that gets into detail, let’s you know when you’re right or wrong, ya know just teaches you. And he’s a good development coach.”

Amir Coffey in postgame interview

WORKING HIS WAY IN

Getting back to those 13 games, he didn’t just play a few garbage time minutes (well he did in a few of them but that’s beside the point). In eight of those 13 games, he played more than five minutes. In those eight games, he played more than 10 minutes in four of them. 

His best of those four games came in the aforementioned game against the Cavaliers. In that game, he scored ten points, collected four rebounds, and had a plus-minus of +16. Not bad for the Hopkins High School alum. His coach didn’t think it was bad either: 

“I love him as a player. He’s going to have a really good future. He’s just so long, and his basketball IQ is off the charts.”

Doc Rivers on Amir Coffey

So when you look at his outputs when given an opportunity, plus Clippers head coach Doc Rivers praise for him, we should see a lot more of Amir Coffey down the road! 

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan

Apparently everything other than Richard Pitino is to blame for the Gopher basketball team’s lack of success. At least according to college basketball expert Seth Davis. Well, that’s not exactly what he said, but it might as well have been. 

Davis, who is a studio analyst for CBS Sports, is also a lead writer for The Athletic. Part of Davis’ work for The Athletic includes answering subscriber questions in a monthly mailbag. So, I decided to ask him a question, and luckily enough, he answered. 

My question was: “Do you ever think that Richard Pitino will end up as good as his dad? Obviously it’s a huge task, but we Gophers fans are dying for something more than a round of 64 win.”

As you can see, my question was mostly directed to compare him and his dad. However, Davis covered that and more in his response. The rest of his answer was interesting to say the least.

SETH DAVIS ON RICHARD PITINO:

“Richard Pitino is used to being asked about, and compared to, his father. Considering that Rick took three schools to the Final Four, won two NCAA titles (though the one at Louisville was vacated) and is in the Hall of Fame, it’s fair to surmise that Richard will fall short of that. The larger question for Minnesota fans is whether he can get that program to the point where they will stop trying to fire him every time his team loses a game.

Richard’s name frequently pops up on hot seat lists, but I’ve never really sensed his job was in danger. However, this is undoubtedly an important year for him. The 2020-21 season will mark Pitino’s ninth season at the helm, and he has just one NCAA Tournament victory to show for it. The Golden Gophers missed out on the tournament in five of his first seven years, and barring a surprising run in the Big Ten tournament they were destined to miss it again in 2020. If Pitino wants to silence the hot seat chatter next spring, he needs to get his team back into the bracket.

I realize it is in fans’ nature to have unrealistic expectations (and I love them for that), but it’s worth noting that Pitino did not exactly inherit a stellar tradition. The Gophers’ first-round win over Louisville in 2019 was just the program’s second NCAA Tournament victory since 1997. That was the year Minnesota reached the Final Four under Clem Haskins, but that was vacated when Haskins was found to have committed academic fraud, bringing on massive NCAA penalties that set the program back a long way.

Williams Arena, aka The Barn, is one of college basketball’s most hallowed arenas, but Minnesota’s facilities have lagged behind those at its Big Ten counterparts. The state does not produce a lot of high-major prospects, and when it does, Pitino has to fend off blue bloods from all over the country. And needless to say, Minnesota isn’t the easiest place to be during the wintertime.

That’s not to make excuses, but to Carson’s question, even if Richard was as good as his dad, I’m not sure it would make a lot of difference. So before the fans run him out of the job, perhaps they should consider whom the school might find who would do any better. Because, to paraphrase a former Celtics coach, Rick Pitino is not coming through that door.”

Seth Davis via The Athletic

WHERE HE’S RIGHT

RICHARD PITINO WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS HIS DAD

Obviously I agree with this. As Seth outlined, Rick Pitino is one of the most successful college basketball coaches of all time. To think that his son will surpass, or even equal his fathers’ success is simply unrealistic. We can only hope he comes close.

MINNESOTA FANS FIRE HIM AFTER EVERY LOSS

Richard Pitino has a history of under-performing, so it’s very understandable why we do this. However, if a national college basketball writer/analyst points out that Gopher fans in particular “fire” their coach after most games, it’s probably not a good thing.

PITINO NEEDS TO MAKE THE TOURNAMENT THIS SEASON OR ELSE HE WILL BE ON THE HOT SEAT

I think if you ask most Gopher fans, Pitino is already on the hot seat. I agree with Davis on this point. The Gophers probably wouldn’t have made the tournament last if it would have happened. If Pitino doesn’t this year, it would make seven out of nine seasons in which he didn’t make the big dance. Consider also that current Athletic Director Mark Coyle didn’t hire Pitino and the situation isn’t any better. 

There is reason to believe the Gophers will make the tournament this year (if there is one). First, Richard Pitino did a fantastic job of recruiting transfers this spring. He added Minnesota native Both Gach (Utah), former 2019-20 MVC All-Conference Second Team player Liam Robbins (Drake), and graduate transfer Brandon Johnson (Western Michigan). Because Gach and Robbins are still waiting to get waivers to see if they’ll be able to play this season, Johnson is the only transfer who will be able to play as of now. However, Pitino has expressed confidence that all three of them will be able to suit up in 2020-21.

Second, Marcus Carr is coming back. Carr entered the draft this past spring but up until recently didn’t announce whether he was staying in the draft or forgoing his last two years of college eligibility. He ultimately chose the latter and will now bring his 15.4 points and 6.5 assists back to The Barn. Like Davis said, it’s make or break for Pitino this season.

WHERE HE’S WRONG

PITINO IS STILL SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF THE ACADEMIC SCANDAL UNDER CLEM HASKINS

Theoretically you could argue this is true, but I’d argue it isn’t. I’m not disputing the fact that it set the program back a long way, like Seth said. But the academic scandal was over 20 years ago. Both Dan Monson and Tubby Smith have coached here since then, and both of them have had pretty similar results to Pitino. as shown below. On top of that, Pitino was set up way better than Smith was when the former took the job. Smith had just made the postseason when Pitino took over the Gophers job. So, to me, Pitino just hasn’t maximized the talent he has had. 

DAN MONSON’S TENURE (*RESIGNED IN 2006-07)

TUBBY SMITH’S TENURE

RICHARD PITINO’S TENURE

I would bet that most of the kids Pitino has recruited don’t even know about the academic scandal. In-state kids? Maybe. Out-state kids? Highly doubtful. Additionally, I don’t think kids make a decision based on something from over 20 years ago. Look at Penn State’s football program, for example. In wake of the child sex abuse scandal involving former coach Jerry Sandusky, the program was fined $60 million, banned from the postseason for four years, reduced scholarships, and had victories vacated from 1999-2011.  

Even with those sanctions, Penn State has never experienced a losing season from when the sanctions were initially handed down until now. So to act like Minnesota is still suffering directly from those sanctions is just not true. 

IN STATE TALENT

Clearly Seth hasn’t paid attention to the talent that has come out of Minnesota in the past few years. His exact words:

“The state (of Minnesota) does not produce a lot of high-major prospects, and when it does, Pitino has to fend off blue bloods from all over the country.”

Seth Davis via The Athletic

While the latter part of his sentence is true, the former is way off. In the eight years since Pitino took the job, the state of Minnesota has produced 32 high-major prospects. That averages out to four per year. And for the most part, the state has been steadily increasing the number of high-major prospects, as shown below. 

Of those 32 prospects, only six have committed to the home-state school: Jarvis Johnson, Amir Coffey, Michael Hurt, Daniel Oturu, Gabe Kalscheur, and Jarvis Omersa. Just 18.75% of in state recruits. The state of Minnesota does produce high-major talent and it’s high time that Pitino starts landing it.

MINNESOTA’S FACILITIES LAG BEHIND THAT OF OTHER BIG 10 SCHOOLS

This may have been true when Pitino first got here. But the argument that Minnesota doesn’t have the facilities of other Big Ten schools no longer rings true. In 2018, the ‘U’ built the Athletes Village, a state of the art training facility that cost Minnesota a whopping $166 million. That is not lagging behind. 

It is hard to tell though if it has helped Pitino a whole lot, like Seth implied it would. Amir Coffey has gone on record saying it’ll help with recruiting. However no player in the class of 2019 and 2020 has echoed that same feeling.

“I think a lot of guys are looking for facilities and things like that coming out of high school — the newest this, the newest that,” Coffey said. “This just being built, I think it’ll have a big impact.” 

Amir Coffey via Star Tribune

It looks like it has only helped the 2018 class, which landed Oturu, Kalscheur, and Omersa. Even so this argument just is no longer true.

DOESN’T MATTER IF RICHARD WAS AS GOOD AS HIS DAD; MINNESOTA AIN’T WINNING

Maybe the most egregious statement Davis made was this one. Said Davis:

Even if Richard was as good as his dad, I’m not sure it would make a lot of difference. So before the fans run him out of the job, perhaps they should consider whom the school might find who would do any better. Because, to paraphrase a former Celtics coach, Rick Pitino is not coming through that door.”

Seth Davis via The Athletic

This just isn’t true. To me, Davis is implying that Minnesota is such a bad place to coach that it doesn’t matter how good of a coach you are. First, there is no reason that anyone that coaches at Minnesota shouldn’t make the tournament at least every other year. Minnesota has the facilities, history, location, resources, and local talent to make it a perennial top half of the conference team. The only thing holding it back is the coach. Also, to act like no one could do better, like Davis is implying, is absurd.

BOTTOM LINE

Richard Pitino is at the very least somewhat to blame for Minnesota’s struggles. He probably will never be as good as a coach as his father, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t be more successful than he has been thus far in his Gophers tenure. I have gone on record saying that Richard’s time to win is now, and that hasn’t changed. I respect Davis, but he is wrong on this account.

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan

According to the Star Tribune’s Marcus Fuller, Minnesota Gopher Basketball guard Marcus Carr is withdrawing from the NBA draft and will play this upcoming season with the Gophers.

This is huge news for the Gophers and Richard Pitino as they suddenly look like they can compete this year. If Carr didn’t already play with a chip on his shoulder, he is dedicating this season to something that is bigger than basketball.

#Gophers point guard Marcus Carr is withdrawing from the NBA Draft and returning to college to play for the #Gophers, Carr told the Star Tribune. Story up shortly @StribSports @GopherMBB

— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) July 31, 2020

Carr said he’s dedicating his season to his brother Duane Notice who suffered a season-ending injury playing pro basketball. https://t.co/VLUrGwSDiw

— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) July 31, 2020

GOPHERS GET ADDED DEPTH

Assuming that all of the transfer waivers go through, the projected starting 5 for the Gophers looks very intimidating…

• G Marcus Carr
• G Gabe Kalschuer
• G/F Both Gach
• F Brandon Johnson
• C Liam Robbins

Look for the Gophers to have a very productive bench as well, with G Tre Williams, G Jamal Mashburn Jr, F Jarvis Omersa, and F Eric Curry all coming off the bench.

One thing is for certain, this team is in a much better spot then they were last year and could surprise a lot of people. The addition of Carr should propel the Minnesota Gophers into NCAA Tournament conversation and maybe even beyond that. Now, we just have to hope that Pitino can solidify himself as the coach we have always wanted him to be.

I don’t know about you guys, but I am beyond excited to watch this team play… whenever that may be.

Cameron Thompson | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Golden Gophers and Richard Pitino have missed out on yet another in-state recruit. This time Stewartville High School standout Will Tschetter announced his plan to leave the state Monday morning.

Tschetter, who led the whole state of Minnesota in points per game with an eye-popping 34.4 points, committed to the Juwan Howard-led Michigan Wolverines. 

Will Tschetter is excited to announce his commitment to the University of Michigan! GO BLUE!@atimmedits pic.twitter.com/brCpaOwNYH

— Stewartville Boys Basketball (@tigerbbask) July 6, 2020

Tschetter started picking up offers from across the country. According to 247Sports.com, Tschetter first received offers from North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Loyola Chicago, Colorado State and South Dakota all on April 7th. Arkansas was the first Power 5 who offered the 6-foot-8 forward on May 27th. Then Minnesota, Michigan and Nebraska all offered on June 1st. But according to Darren Wolfson, it sounds like after Minnesota offered Tschetter, Pitino and Co. just stopped pursuing him. 

Frankly, not sure why they offered him to begin with. My opinion: they should’ve offered him many months prior, and made him a priority. But once they made the offer, they didn’t put any kind of full-court press on him. Michigan seemed an easy call for him.

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 6, 2020

In-State Struggles Continue

If you’ve been paying attention to the recruiting scene in Minnesota the past few years, Tschetter’s commitment to Michigan will come as no surprise. Not only have the Gophers missed out on 5-stars like Tre Jones (Duke), Matthew Hurt (Duke), Dawson Garcia (Marquette), and Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga). That is just the beginning of the list. They have also missed out on 4-stars players like Tyrell Terry (Stanford), Nate Reuvers (Wisconsin), Kerwin Walton (North Carolina) and Jericho Sims (Texas) just to name a few.

Now, Pitino did manage to snag Daniel Oturu, Gabe Kalscheur and Jarvis Omersa in the 2018 class. But aside from that, there have been almost no Minnesotans that commit to their home-state school.

I know it’s hard to turn down Juwan Howard; he was a member of the Fab Five, played in the NBA for 19 years (including an All-Star appearance in 1996) and won two NBA championships with the Miami Heat. But you can add Tschetter to the list of players that should’ve never left the state. 

Then again, maybe it didn’t matter who Minnesota’s coach was. Based on this quote from Tschetter, that certainly feels like the case.

“I feel like it’s kind of the big thing with Minnesota kids where everyone obviously wants them to stay at the hometown school, but I’m open to leaving the state, for sure. I really like Michigan’s coaching staff. It’s a bunch of great basketball minds and good people. I like everything they have to offer. They have great academics, great facilities, good academic support. Just kind of the whole thing is pretty attractive when you look at it.”

Will Tschetter

According to 247Sports Composite Rankings, Tschetter is ranked as the No. 149 overall prospect in the 2021 class and the No. 28 overall prospect at the power forward position. 

Silver Lining?

The news of Tschetter moving on may be softened slightly by the fact that the Gophers were listed among the top 7 schools for Chet Holmgren. Some even went as far as to list the Gophers as his top choice. That remains to be seen, but Holmgren would be a massive addition for Richard Pitino. But if Pitino’s track record has taught us anything, don’t get your hopes up.

Other Recruiting News and Notes

Sean Pedulla

• Minnesota recently offered Sean Pedulla, a 2021 guard from Edmond, Oklahoma. This is Pedulla’s first Power-5 offer. Pedulla is regarded as one of the best shooters in the class of 2021 and had a strong showing at a recent Nike EYBL event, scoring 31 points. Pedulla has also received offers from Wofford, Texas State, Tulsa, among others.

Blessed to receive an offer from university of Minnesota #GoldyGophers pic.twitter.com/WacnQO7RKh

— Sean Pedulla (@PedullaSean) July 6, 2020

Sean Pedulla…. High Major Player‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

pic.twitter.com/VeDX1W82bE

— Matt Reynolds (@MattReynolds___) July 6, 2020

Skyy Clark

• 5-Star 2021 guard Skyy Clark recently talked with 247Sports on his ongoing recruitment. Clark, who was born in Minnesota and whose mother is originally from Willmar, received an offer from Minnesota on June 15th. Ranked 18th in 247sports Composite rankings, Clark also has received offers North Carolina, Kentucky, Arizona, among others. Below is a quote from Clark on Minnesota: 

“(Minnesota’s) where I’m from, that’s where I was born so playing for my hometown would be a great thing for me.”

Skyy Clark via 247 Sports

5-star guard recently picked up offers from Kentucky AND UNC! @skyyclark pic.twitter.com/mQ4cGNQinK

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 6, 2020

Tre Holloman

• 2022 Cretin-Derham Hall guard Tre Holloman also recently spoke with 247Sports. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 11 points, 9.2 assists, 2.7 steals and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 37.2% from deep his sophomore season. He is ranked as the 88th overall prospect in his class according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. Holloman has also received offers from Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana, Baylor, among others. In addition to saying that Minnesota has been in active contact with him, he also had this to say about Minnesota:

“Minnesota has been calling and texting me. Their message is that I can do something special by staying close to home and being the leader of the program.”

Tre Holloman via 247 Sports

Tre Holloman is a complete PG! ? @Tretrehoops pic.twitter.com/SoYJfL7zWP

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) June 25, 2020

Kendall Brown

• 5-Star 2021 guard/forward Kendall Brown, the former East Ridge star who now attends Sunrise Christian Academy, updated his ongoing recruitment with 247Sports. Ranked 14th overall in 247Sports Composite Rankings, the 6-foot-8 recruit is considering Minnesota, Marquette, Kansas, Ohio State, Virginia, among others. Below are two quotes updating his recruitment, one from this week via 247Sports and the other from last month via the Star Tribune.

“That is my hometown school. It would be awesome to play in front of friends and family. They tell me that I could accomplish anything at home, and that I could be the face of the program.”

Kendall Brown via 247 Sports

“[Minnesota] told me I would be like a big guard who could initiate the offense for them,” Brown said. “Just use my passing ability as an advantage and everything. [Pitino] has been recruiting me a lot recently … That means a lot being from here and the love they are showing me right now.”

Kendall Brown via the Star Tribune

Kendall Brown (@TheeKbrown) 2021 from @sunrisehoops Highlights 2019

Brown, top 20 2021 Nationally. Originally from East Ridge. Now at Sunrise Prep Academy@NorthstarHoops @PrepHoops @mnbasketballhub @TheAthleticMIN pic.twitter.com/zqV1pVNTee

— StreetHistory (Ryan S) (@streethistory) December 23, 2019

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan

Anyone who has paid attention to the national recruiting scene knows how good Chet Holmgren is. The 7-footer averaged 14.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.9 blocked shots per game playing for Minnehaha Academy. This was while playing on the same team as 5-Star Jalen Suggs, 2022 top-100 player Prince Aligbe, USC offered Hercy Miller, and a handful of other Division 1 prospects.

Elite Talent

Holmgren is ranked as the number four overall player in his class on Rivals.com, the number two overall player on 247Sports.com, and the number one overall player on ESPN.com. He has recieved offers from schools all across the country (32 programs in total, according to 247Sports). From Duke and USC, to Florida and Gonzaga, everyone wants a piece of Holmgren, but unfortunately only one school can have him. 

Chet recently announced his top seven programs via Twitter. Those programs are Minnesota, Michigan, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Georgetown, Memphis and North Carolina. To discuss those offers and more, Holmgren recently spoke with Stockrisers.com, a fairly well-known recruiting website. 

When you read the first few paragraphs, it sounds like your typical recruiting article. But where it gets interesting is about two-thirds into it. After discussing two of Holmgren’s other offers — Ohio State and Gozaga — the writer drops a mini-bombshell.

“Obviously the current favorite is the Minnesota Gophers. The hometown program has been involved for more than two years and an official visit isn’t needed as he has grown up around the school and his father, Dave, played for the Gophers from 1984-88 and still has significant ties to the program.”

Jake Weingarten via Stockrisers.com

Wow… that is interesting. If true, it would be huge. The Gophers have been in the running for 5-star players before (Jalen Suggs, Matthew Hurt, Tre Jones, Dawson Garcia) but they have never seemed to be in position to land one. On top of that, the Gophers haven’t landed a 5-star since Kris Humphries, who was in the class of 2003.

I don’t know if I should believe this. Let’s go through the facts and come to a conclusion.

Facts

• Stockrisers.com is a well-known recruiting website who regularly interviews top prospects from across the country. 

• The website has access to insider information that others don’t. One would normally agree with what the website says.

• Stockrisers.com isn’t the same as 247Sports.com, however. 247Sports has experts who both talk to recruits and make crystal ball predictions. 

• There are currently no predictions from 247Sports on what school he will go to. Instead, it only says that Gonzaga, Purdue, Minnesota, and Texas are “warm,” although two of those programs — Purdue and Texas — aren’t even in his top-seven.

• Chet hasn’t released any information favoring one program over the others. He has only released his top-seven and given his thoughts on each of them.

• Chet has officially visited Gonzaga and Ohio State and has unofficially visited Georgetown and Minnesota, according to an interview with Evan Daniels in May. 

Minnesota 5 Star Center Chet Holmgren discusses with @EvanDaniels which schools have prioritized him the most including the #Gophers pic.twitter.com/HfRLBkq41M

— Gopher Crew (@GopherCrew) May 13, 2020

• Chet’s former teammate, Jalen Suggs, will attend Gonzaga this coming year, so there is reason to believe that Chet could go there.

• Not only did Chet’s dad play at Minnesota, but Chet’s family also lives in Minnesota. Chet has also attended Gophers practices and games in the past.

Conclusion

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are not the favorite yet in my opinion. I think Stockrisers.com thinks the Gophers are the favorite so far because 1) he has spent the most time around the program compared to the others schools and 2) he has family ties to the program. However, that does not mean that Minnesota is the favorite.

Chet, as outlined above, has not shown any bias towards one program over the others thus far. He also has only listed his top-seven schools to this point. I’m in no way trying to take credibility away from Stockrisers, but instead just forming my own opinion based off of that of the writer.

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan