Minnesota’s perfect start is intact, and now the Golden Gophers get a chance to keep the momentum going at home Thursday night against Southern in Minneapolis.
The Gophers enter at 3-0 after squeezing past host Cincinnati, 63-61, and they’ll be looking for another clean finish against a Southern team still hunting its first win at 0-4. Minnesota has gotten balanced production early, with Isaac Asuma setting the pace at 14.3 points per game to go with 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is right behind him at 14 points per game, while Kyan Evans has added 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
One of the bigger storylines is Bobby Durkin, who hasn’t quite found his rhythm from deep yet but doesn’t sound worried about it. After Minnesota’s win over Cincinnati, Durkin finished with five points and went 1-for-6 from 3-point range. Still, coach Niko Medved said he wasn’t surprised to see him back in the gym early Tuesday.
“No days off,” Medved said with a smile about Durkin, who averaged 10.2 points a game and shot 39.2% from 3-point range last season. “He’s in here in the morning getting shots up.
That’s what you do. You stick with the routine. ...
“It’s no secret on the scouting report (that) people are going to look and they’re going to say, ‘Hey, we don’t want Durkin to catch and shoot a 3.’ Sometimes that’s difficult to do with all the other moving parts of guarding an offense.
It’s just been one of the last couple games where it hasn’t been as good. ... As long as he keeps taking great shots, they’ll go in.”
Evans gave Minnesota its best individual performance so far in the Cincinnati win, pouring in 26 points with 10 rebounds and five assists. Medved said that kind of night is exactly what you want to see.
“You always want guys to assert themselves,” Medved said. “It’s different guys on different nights. I think he felt comfortable and confident early.”
Southern comes in trying to recover from an 84-47 loss at Iowa State, where the Cyclones opened with a 20-0 burst and never let the Jaguars settle in. Malik Ferguson and Daniel Dormu are tied for the team lead at 8.0 points per game, followed by R’Chaun King at 7.8 and Aaron Hall at 5.8.
In Other News...
Minnesota Needs One Offensive Fix To End Its Slide At Penn State
Minnesota heads to Penn State trying to stop a two-game skid, and the Gophers know the margin for error is getting thin. The offense has been the biggest concern during the slide, and this matchup offers a chance to reset against a Penn State team that has shown some cracks on defense. For Minnesota, the challenge is less about finding a brand-new identity than cleaning up one area of the attack that has kept drives from turning into points.
Penn State still brings enough talent and disruption to make the trip tricky, which is why Minnesota cannot afford to let the game drift into the kind of uneven, possession-by-possession battle that has hurt it lately. The Nittany Lions have playmakers on defense who can change the tone quickly, and the outcome could hinge on whether Minnesota can finally string together a more complete offensive showing. There is room for an upset if the Gophers find the right answer, but there is also plenty of room for the game to tilt the other way in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Unbeaten Start Comes With An Early Warning Sign
Minnesotas unbeaten start has come with plenty to like, especially after a 91-61 win over Southern that featured a career-high 23 points from guard Isaac Asuma and a crisp 60 percent shooting night from the field. The Gophers have looked efficient enough to handle the early schedule, and the offense has shown enough balance to give coach Niko Medved reason for optimism as the season settles in.
Still, the next stretch is where the early warning sign matters most. Medved left the Southern game more concerned about the ball than the scoreboard, knowing Minnesota is about to face a tougher level of competition and cannot afford to keep giving possessions away if it wants this hot start to mean something once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Are Building Early Momentum Behind A Breakout Performance
Minnesota kept its perfect start rolling with a 91-61 win over Southern University, a game that showed just how balanced this group can be when it gets going. Five Gophers finished in double figures, and the offense hummed with the kind of efficiency that can make an early-season result feel more meaningful than the record alone.
Asuma was at the center of it, turning in a career-best scoring night and giving Minnesota a needed burst as the rotation continues to settle in. The Gophers also controlled the glass and dictated the pace for long stretches, two signs that suggest this unbeaten start is being built on more than just hot shooting. [Read more 🡒]