Of course, it’s a small sample size so I’m not trying to get too far ahead of myself, but I’ve watched both games, and most of their exhibition last week, and I’m telling you… this team might be worth paying attention to.

Minnesota Gophers dominate first two games

Neither of Minnesota’s first two mid-major opponents, Bethune-Cookman and Texas San Antonio, are Big Ten caliber teams. But sometimes, it’s not about the win, itself, as much as it is the way you get it done.

Unlike what we’ve seen in Ben Johnson’s first two seasons as head coach, the Gophers have done exactly what a power-5 conference team should do to smaller schools that are being paid to, in theory, get their asses kicked at The Barn.

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

Minnesota led both games wire to wire and have outscored their small-school opponents by a total of 46 points. They’ve looked bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic and better coached.

Welcome to the house of Payne. 😈@pharrelpayne x @GopherMBB pic.twitter.com/24V7IXMfb0

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 7, 2023

In theory, that’s what should happen. But in reality, bottom-feeder Big Ten teams do not usually dominate lower-conference competition like the Gophers have, early on.

In fact, four Big Ten teams (one ranked in the national top-10) — Ohio State, (4) Michigan State, Maryland and Rutgers — have already lost to mid-major opponents and the 2023-24 NCAA men’s basketball season isn’t even a week old yet.

Gophers MBB Blossoming Talent and Healthy Roster

The biggest difference for the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team this year, that the experts and oddsmakers may have overlooked, is health. One reason why Ben Johnsons’s first two seasons have been so bad is because they lost two of their best talents, Isaiah Ihnen and Parker Fox, to season-ending knee injuries in both years.

On Friday night, Ihned scored 20 points in just 19 minutes, shooting a perfect 7/7 from the floor, including 5/5 from deep. Both players have logged over 15 minutes each game and have made a noticeable difference on both sides of the floor. Everything about the Gophers, so far, has looked much more Big Ten like.

Then, there’s Dawson Garcia, who looks on his way to cinch 1st Team conference honors, if he stays healthy. He’s scored a total of 55 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and dished 9 assists through two games. But, I could go on and on.

#Gophers win BIG

MIN 102 – UTSA 75

Stat Leaders:
Points: Garcia (22)
Rebounds: Hawkins (10)
Assists: Hawkins (8)
Steals: Hawkins & Christie (2)

My players of the game are Dawson Garcia & Isaiah Ihnen

Biggest Challenge coming up Thursday vs Missouri pic.twitter.com/LJQQLcoqwT

— Kane Rob (@GophersKaneRob) November 11, 2023

Transfer point guard, Elijah Hawkins, looks 100% like he can handle the step up in competition, after two years at Howard University, this year and brings a perfect true PG veteran presence to the lineup. True freshman Cam Christie might be the most exciting part of the entire roster.

Related: Do Not Rule Eric Musselman Out as Next Gophers MBB Coach

He missed game one due to an illness but, on Friday night, scored 18 points off the bench, in his college debut, with 4 assists and 3 rebounds to go on top. I’m just telling you, man. My eyes don’t lie. I know a good Gophers team when I see one and this looks like it could be that, though two games.

They will get a power-5 test next week, when they host the Missouri Tigers (SEC) at The Barn on November 16.

We should have expected a bunch of Minnesota Gophers to enter the transfer portal this basketball offseason. That’s 2021, especially when there’s a coaching change. But when Ben Johnson was named the new head coach a couple of weeks ago, Gabe Kalscheur’s name was the last I thought I’d see entered. Both he and Johnson graduated from DeLaSalle High School and nobody expected Ben to lose someone that close to his network, when he’s supposed to close the borders on Minnesota.

But I shouldn’t be surprised by anything anymore..

Minnesota guard Gabe Kalscheur is in the transfer portal, source told ESPN. Averaged 9.2 points this season. Minnesota native.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 1, 2021

GI talked to a source close to the situation today and this decision is something that Kalscheur has closely been considering since the end of the season, long before the Gophers began their search for a new head coach. Kalscheur has a strong relationship with Ben Johnson as Johnson recruited Kalscheur to the University of Minnesota and both are DeLaSalle Islander products. Gabe is going to strongly consider staying at the University of Minnesota while looking at a carefully selected group of other programs.

Ryan James – GopherIllustrated.com

Others around the internet have echoed the same analysis and inside information on Kalscheur’s transfer status. Apparently, he wants to test the new college athlete free agency waters but is still “strongly considering” a return to the Gophers. We’ll see how strong that consideration is soon. Gabe is Minnesota’s best defender and one of the best in the country. If he could regain the shot we were promised when he committed back in 2018, he’d be All Big Ten.

Others Re-Commit to Gophers

Not all Gopher basketball news that dropped today was bad. Ben Johnson received re-commitments from two Gopher wings (via Marcus Fuller – Star Tribune), both Isaiah Ihnen and Both Gach. Ihnen is yet to show his 4-star potential and Both Gach struggled mightily in his first and only season in maroon and gold.. but both guys are bursting with untapped potential. As it looks… Ben might need them.

I've also heard today both Both Gach and Isaiah Ihnen will return to the #Gophers for next season. https://t.co/3fsxc16QVj

— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) April 1, 2021

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

German standout Isaiah Ihnen just verbally committed to Minnesota, he tells @247Sports | Story: https://t.co/MkGmjug1mX pic.twitter.com/LoDbk3HLtx

— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) April 23, 2019

Being from Germany and committing so late, Isaiah didn’t even have a rating at 247Sports.com when I researched him over the weekend. It was his video that got me hooked. But now…. he got his rating and holy shit was I right… A 96+ is fucking legit. Now I’m jacked up! You can see all of that video I watched and my breakdown of him from my post over the weekend:

This is a massive get for Pitino and really makes this class legit but there are still at least 2 scholarships left to fill if an opportunity presents itself. Again, especially if Amir leaves, the Gophers need to bulk up this class as much as possible or they could be looking at a down season and Richard’s job is NOT guaranteed for 2020-21.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan