Minnesota’s fall basketball work is right around the corner, and one of the biggest questions hanging over Niko Medved’s second season is Cade Tyson.
Medved made it clear Wednesday at the Minnesota State Fair that the Gophers would welcome Tyson back if the courts give him that chance. As Andy Greder reported, Medved said that “it would be unbelievable to have” Cade Tyson on U roster this season, but his eligibility remains tied up in court system. It’s wait-and-see on whether or not the leading scorer will come back.
That’s the story now: Tyson’s future is still being decided in the legal system, but Minnesota is acting as if a return is very much on the table. Tyson has been practicing with his former teammates while he waits, and with the season drawing closer, the fit seems obvious if the ruling goes his way.
The case centers on the Wisne v. NCAA lawsuit, which is currently in the 10th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals. Tyson, along with dozens of other players from the 2022 high school graduation class, is arguing that the NCAA’s new rules unfairly limit how long he can remain in school compared with players before him and after him.
If he wins, the signs point toward a return to Dinkytown.
And if that happens, Minnesota gets a major piece back.
Tyson was the Gophers’ most important offensive player last season, leading the team in scoring and usage. In 32 games, the former Tar Heel and North Carolina native averaged 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds while playing 36.7 minutes per game. He was the engine for Medved’s first team, the guy who carried the load when Minnesota needed a basket.
That mattered because Medved’s debut season was a grind. The Gophers finished 15-18 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten play, with an early stretch that hinted at something better before injuries tore through the roster and exposed the lack of depth. Minnesota did knock off three Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25, but the injuries eventually dragged the season down.
There’s no mystery about why Tyson matters so much. On paper, this roster already looks stronger than last year’s group, and if he’s added back into the mix, the Gophers could have their most talented team since the peak Richard Pitino years.
That kind of jump would also stand out in a program that has spent far too long fighting uphill. Ben Johnson managed the eight-win mark in Big Ten play only once in four seasons, doing it in 2023-24 when Minnesota went 9-11 in conference games and 19-15 overall.
The Gophers haven’t finished above .500 in Big Ten play since 2016-17, when Pitino’s team went 11-7 in the league and 24-10 overall. Before that, you have to go back to 2004-05, when Dan Monson did it once.
The bigger backdrop is even harsher. Minnesota basketball has been carrying the weight of the cheating scandal that led to the only Final Four appearance in program history being vacated, and the program’s climb back has been slow and uneven ever since.
So Tyson’s situation isn’t just a roster note. It could decide whether Medved gets to open year two with a real difference-maker in place, or whether Minnesota has to keep waiting for the next step forward. For now, the Gophers are in position to take him back if the court says yes.
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