Isaac Asuma News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/isaac-asuma/ Minnesota sports, but different Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:45:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Isaac Asuma News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/isaac-asuma/ 32 32 Medved’s New Gophers Shock Ranked Hoosiers https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/game-recap-minnesota-upsets-indiana-big-ten-opener/ Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:45:04 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=74162 The Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team entered their 2025-26 Big Ten opener on Wednesday against the No. 22 ranked Indiana Hoosiers looking like the college basketball experts around the country projected them to before the season began.

So after the 3-3 Gophers traveled to California for the Acrisure Invitational, and lost to two quality opponents in Stanford and Santa Clara, expectations entering conference play on Wednesday were NOT high. And that was before news broke that they lost their starting point guard to a season-ending injury.

Then, the game vs Indiana — who, just in case I didn’t mention a couple of paragraphs ago, came in ranked No. 22 in the nation — tipped off. And at that point, whatever was plaguing the Minnesota Gophers basketball team was seemingly fixed.

Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball pulls massive upset vs Indiana

Not only did Minnesota shoot 49% from the field, 38% from three point range, and absolutely DOMINATE the rebounding battle, 40-25 — but they fended off late Hoosier runs and eventually got the only statistic that matters. A win, shocking one of the best teams in the Big Ten, 73-64, to open the conference season.

All five starters scored in double-figures, lead by Cady Tyson and Langston Reynolds, who both poured in 17 points apiece. Tyson also added 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

Earlier this week, Niko Medved found himself trying to navigate some choppy waters with fans and media., following the Gophers third-straight loss of the season.

On his coach’s show Monday, the newly-hired head coach tried to assure fans that this was all part of the process to rebuilding the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program, pleading for the diehards still following this team to hang with him through what was shaping up to be a difficult first season.

I’m not sure if he expected the turnaround to happen immediately, and surely there will be a lot more growing pains to endure this season. But on Wednesday, that’s exactly what he got.

Cade Tyson leads the way for Minnesota starting five

The offense was far from perfect. A quick peek at the box score will tell you that much. Minnesota gave the ball away 16 times, to Indiana’s 7… but the Gopher defense made up for those issues on the other side of the court by forcing 6 steals and blocking 7 Hoosier shots.

For most of tonight’s game, things seemed to go right. The most important players contributed. Sophomore guard out of Cherry, MN, Isaac Asuma put up 15 points, while also contributing 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson scored 11 of his own and tied Asuma for the team-high in rebounds (7). He also blocked 3 shots.

Related: Homegrown Former Gopher Stretchered Off Court Following Ugly Injury

After easily winning the first two games of Niko Medved’s career — 87-60 over Garner-Webb | 95-50 over Alcorn State — the Golden Gophers were slammed back to reality when they traveled to SEC country for game three of their 2025-26 season.

Missouri was a late add by Medved, to the Gophers’ schedule. Before the game became official, the new head coach expressed a need to get at least one road game vs a tournament-caliber team to their non-conference.

Believe in Niko Medved and this NEW MN Gophers MBB program

Be careful what you wish for, because the Tigers destroyed the Gophers 83-60, in a beatdown that seemed to rattle Minnesota’s confidence. After the loss, they went back home and struggled to pull out victories that were way too close against Green Bay (72-65) and Chicago State (66-54), before getting handled by San Francisco.

And that all came BEFORE the Acrisure Invitational debacle. But that’s the funny thing about sports. Every game is a new game, a new opportunity. On Wednesday night vs Indiana, Niko Medved and his new squad of ragtag Golden Gophers seized that opportunity and turned it into a core memory for his new program.

And just as a bonus… the new head coach is now 1-0 all-time in Big Ten play.

]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:45:27 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball MN Gophers MBB Roster Nearly Cleaned Out After Transfer Portal Entries https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-mbb-roster-cleaned-out-transfer-portal-2025/ Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:47:42 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=61912 When athletic director Mark Coyle fired former Minnesota Gophers head men’s basketball coach, Ben Johnson, it was expected that a big chunk of the 2024-25 roster would no longer be in Dinkytown next season. Let’s be honest, that’s often the case these days with or without a change in head coach.

But the 2024-25 Golden Gophers roster was chock full of players in their final year of eligibility, including all five of their top scorers Dawson Garcia (19.2 PPG), Lu’Cye Patterson (11.6 PPG), Mike Mitchell Jr (8.6 PPG), Femi Odukale (6.8 PPG) and Parker Fox (5.8 PPG).

Niko Medved - Minnesota Gophers men's basketball coach
Credit: Photo courtesy of Gopher Athletics

On Wednesday, the two homegrown Gophers on the roster — Isaac Asuma (Cherry) and Grayson Grove (Alexandria) — committed to the University of Minnesota for their sophomore years. Grove never saw the floor as a freshman, Asuma was the team’s sixth leading scorer, averaging 5.6 points to go along with 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a true freshman.

Minnesota Gophers MBB roster looking very empty…

But one day later, the rest of the remaining Minnesota Gophers roster from 2024-25 have all hit the transfer portal. Big man, Frank Mitchell was the first transfer announced. He hit the portal on Tuesday and committed to St. Bonaventure shortly thereafter.

Since, he’s been followed into the portal by senior Brennan Rigsby, sophomore Kadyn Betts, sophomore Max Sheridan and senior Tyler Cochran, whose season was wiped out by injury.

When the dust settled, the two freshman who committed to stay for their sophomore seasons earlier this week are the only remain players on the University of Minnesota men’s basketball roster. Don’t worry, though, that won’t be the case for long.

Prior to new head coach Niko Medved’s hire going official, rumors ran wild that Medved was trying to bring some of his best talent from Colorado State to Minnesota. We will see whether or not that prophecy comes true, now that longtime Rams assistant Ali Farokhmanesh got the head job at Colorado State, in Medved’s absence.

Related: Richard Pitino Takes New Job

Beyond his former players, the Minnesota Gophers have been linked to a few different players who are currently sitting in the transfer portal. Some of those players are listed below. When all is said and done, I expect the 2025-26 Golden Gophers to have a lot more talent than this year’s squad.

  • PF Gavin Walsh (Binghamton) – 11.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 1.9 APG (2024-25)
  • G Bryce Lindsay (James Madison) – 13.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.2 APG (2024-25)

It’s possible they receive help from college sports revenue sharing that is supposed to kick in before the start of next season, but that has yet to become official, as it tries to make it through multiple legal battles.

]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 14:47:45 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball New Gophers MBB Coach Gets Re-Commitment from Top Freshman https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/isaac-asuma-commitment-minnesota-2025/ Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:58:10 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=61881 The Minnesota Gophers canned Ben Johnson in the middle of the night. The only thing surprising about head coach’s dismissal is that it didn’t happen sooner. How quickly athletic director Mark Coyle shifted to the future, though, caught many off-guard.

Less than 12 hours after the firing, Darren Wolfson (KSTP) was on SKOR North all but announcing Colorado State head coach Niko Medved as Coyle’s predetermined, hand-chosen guy. Now, the focus shifts again, this time to roster-building. It’s possible Medved brings one or more players to Minnesota from his 2024-25 round-of-32 Rams team.

As far as last year’s Golden Gophers are concerned, big man Frank Mitchell is on his way to his third school in three seasons. Minnesota will also lose Dawson Garcia, Parker Fox, Mike Mitchell Jr, Lu’Cye Patterson and Femi Odukale to eligibility.

Isaac Asuma back for Medved, Minnesota Gophers

Isaac Asuma - Minnesota Gophers
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

So that’s who’s leaving. But is there any talent Niko Medved is trying to keep around? Well, the list isn’t long, but without a doubt, his no. 1 priority is Cherry, MN’s own true freshman point guard, Isaac Asuma, a 4-star high school recruit and No. 2 ranked player in the MN class of 2024, according to 247 Sports.

Related: Richard Pitino Takes New Job

In his first collegiate season, the teenage Asuma played in 32 games with the Minnesota Gophers averaging 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 24.7 minutes per game. Obviously, a Ben Johnson commit, Isaac Asuma announced Wednesday via social media that he will be returning to the University of Minnesota for his Sophomore season.

As a Minnesota native, Asuma’s re-commitment to new head coach like Medved could lead to a waterfall of commitments from outside the program, over the next few months. How much talent Niko can reel in before the start of next season will dictate what kind of role Isaac will have on the floor next season.

But even months prior to games being played, the pride of Cherry high school’s announcement today is the single-most important thing to happen so far in Niko Medved’s two day tenure at the helm.

Medved must figure out Gophers MBB NIL problem

Ben Johnson failed to harness name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities while leading the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball program, which eventually spelled his doom. That’s why Niko Medved made it clear in his opening press conference, he plans to attack NIL funding head-on.

Medved’s views on NIL (among other things) was a far cry from what we had become used to hearing from Ben. Let’s hope he puts NIL money where his mouth is because the Golden Gophers men’s program desperately needs an influx of talent, and they need it in short order.

Related: Another Homegrown Former Gopher Re-Enters Transfer Portal

It stands to reason that the Gophers roster will have much more developmental talent under Medved. How much he can do within the current scope of NCAA basketball remains to be seen. He’s coming from a place where the uphill battle was significantly higher, however.

]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:02:37 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Future Gopher Isaac Asuma Nearly Posts Triple-Double in Star-Studded ‘Border Battle’ Showcase https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/gophers-commit-isaac-asuma-border-battle-2024/ Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:10:35 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=46863 Ben Johnson and the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball program had some very big in-state wins in the 2024 recruiting class, none bigger than consensus 3-star prospect Isaac Asuma, out of Cherry High School in Iron, MN, who projects as the Gophers’ future at point guard.

Related: Gophers Ink Their Future Point Guard Isaac Asuma on National Signing Day

Minnesota Gophers top commit Isaac Asuma barely misses triple-double

On Saturday, the 6’3″, 190 pound Asuma was at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School to compete in the annual “Border Battle” basketball showcase, along with some of the best high school basketball talent in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In Cherry’s 90-71 blowout victory over Salon Springs (WI), Isaac did it all, dropping 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds and 9 assists, narrowing missing out on a triple-double.

Asuma is the 3rd-highest rated high school basketball player in the state of Minnesota, according to 247 Sports. The other 2024 U of M men’s basketball commit — Alexandria’s Greyson Grove — is also a 3-star prospect. But there’s no doubt Johnson got a good one in Isaac Asuma.

Related: U of M Plans to Renovate Williams Arena; New Gophers Basketball Venue Unlikely

But while the addition of Asuma is an exciting get for the University of Minnesota, it’s difficult not to be disappointed in Ben Johnson for not pulling more talent out of such an incredible in-state recruiting class, which includes seven players in 247Sports’ national top-200.

Wisconsin commit Daniel Freitag looked good too

One of those misses is Breck’s Daniel Freitag, another 3-star playmaker who’s committed to Wisconsin (gross). He too balled out on Saturday, tossing no-look passes like he was Patrick Mahomes on a basketball court, finishing with 20 points and 10 dimes.

In general, Minnesota high school teams are dominating the day at Benilde-St. Margaret’s — leading the ‘MN vs WI Border Battle’ 4-0 with four games yet to play this evening. Now you see why the Badgers have to jump the border in order to find any talent for their basketball program. Unfortunately, they’ve gotten very good at it.

Hopefully Isaac Asuma can help stop that trend.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Men’s Basketball Schedule, TV Channel and more

]]> Sat, 20 Jan 2024 16:35:54 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Gophers Ink Their Future Point Guard Isaac Asuma on National Signing Day https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/gophers-basketball-isaac-asuma-signs-national-signing-day/ Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:55:38 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44806 The Minnesota Gophers made one of two verbal commitments into official National Letters of Intent, on Wednesday morning, when “one of us” Cherry basketball phenom, Isaac Asuma (Iron, MN), submitted his NLI to the University of Minnesota.

Isaac Asuma – Minnesota Gophers future point guard

Asuma, a 6-3; 170 pound point guard from the Iron Range, is the gem of Ben Johnson’s small 2023 class. He’s a 3-star (88 overall) Top-125 prospect, according to 247Sports.com. Isaac is a classic-style point guard who looks to get his teammates going, before himself.

That doesn’t mean he can’t shoot. Ryan James (GopherIllustrated.com) describes Asuma as “a good shooter with range from both mid-range and the three point line and his dribble separation game would be described as very smooth and crafty”

Related: Gopher FB Top Commit Koi Perich to Visit Ohio State and Florida State

Isaac is about to start his senior season at Cherry High School (Iron, MN), looking to top an incredible junior year where he averaged 21 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.6 steals per game. The home state kid chose Minnesota over offers from Butler, Iowa, Iowa State and Xavier.

Grayson Grove – Alexandria, MN

Asuma wasn’t the only signed NLI that Ben Johnson received on Wednesday. Another Minnesota prep standout, Grayson Grove (Alexandria, MN) handed his letter of intent in today, as well.

Grove is a 3-star (86 overall) 6-8, 190 pound power forward prospect who will need more time to develop before we seem him get any meaningful minutes for the Gophers. Grove chose his home state Gophers over St. Thomas, Central Arkansas and Colorado State.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 08 Nov 2023 11:14:47 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball