Big Ten Opener: Gophers Host No. 22 Indiana in Coaching Debuts for Medved, DeVries
The calendar has flipped to December, which means it’s time for the Big Ten to get serious. And on Wednesday night, Williams Arena will be the stage for a matchup that’s got a little bit of everything-two new head coaches, a top-25 opponent, and a Minnesota team looking to bounce back after a tough loss out west.
Tip-off is set for 6:01 p.m. CT, with the action televised on BTN. Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will have the radio call on KFAN 100.3 FM.
A Fresh Chapter for Both Programs
This one marks the Big Ten coaching debut for both Minnesota’s Niko Medved and Indiana’s Darian DeVries. Medved takes the reins in Minneapolis after seven solid seasons at Colorado State, while DeVries arrives in Bloomington by way of West Virginia. Interestingly, both coaches share a Drake connection-Medved was an assistant there in the early 2000s, while DeVries led the Bulldogs from 2018 to 2023.
It’s not often you see two Big Ten programs hit the reset button at the same time, and Wednesday’s game will offer an early glimpse into how each coach is molding their new roster.
Series History Favors the Hoosiers
This will be the 172nd meeting between Minnesota and Indiana (excluding vacated games), and history leans heavily toward the Hoosiers. Indiana leads the all-time series 104-67 and has won the last nine matchups. The Gophers’ last win over IU came back in 2019-also at Williams Arena.
Their most recent meeting was a Big Ten opener last December in Bloomington, where Indiana cruised to an 82-67 win. Dawson Garcia led Minnesota with 22 points that night, while Elijah Hawkins and Mike Mitchell Jr. also chipped in double-digit scoring.
Gophers Looking to Rebound
Minnesota enters conference play still trying to find its rhythm. The Gophers are coming off a loss to Santa Clara in the Acrisure Invite finale out in Palm Desert.
Cade Tyson did everything he could to keep Minnesota in it, dropping a game-high 29 points. Freshman guard Isaac Asuma added 13 points and five assists, and Langston Reynolds chipped in 12.
But the Gophers were shorthanded-forward Robert Vaihola and guard Chansey Willis Jr. both missed the game due to injury, leaving Medved to juggle rotations and lean on younger players.
The good news? Tyson has been electric.
He leads the Big Ten in scoring at 22.4 points per game, and his 179 total points rank first in the conference and seventh nationally. He’s been the offensive engine for Minnesota, and if the Gophers are going to compete with a red-hot Indiana team, he’ll need to stay in high gear.
Scouting the Hoosiers
Indiana comes in undefeated at 7-0 and ranked No. 22 in the latest AP poll. Under DeVries, the Hoosiers have been sharp early, notching a neutral-site win over Marquette and taking care of business at home against the likes of Kansas State, Milwaukee, and Bethune-Cookman.
The Hoosiers are deep, balanced, and efficient. Five players are averaging double figures, led by Tucker DeVries-the coach’s son-who’s putting up 17.9 points per game and hitting 44.1% from three. His 29 made threes lead the Big Ten, and he’s knocking them down at a clip of 3.7 per game.
Lamar Wilkerson is right behind him at 16.7 points per game, also shooting over 40% from deep. Tayton Conerway is the team’s primary playmaker, leading the Hoosiers in assists (37) and steals (12), while adding 11.9 points per game. Reed Bailey is shooting nearly 60% from the floor, and Sam Alexis leads the team in rebounding at 6.4 boards per game.
As a unit, Indiana is scoring 89.6 points per game-third in the Big Ten-and giving up just 62.4. They’re shooting over 50% from the field and 37.8% from deep.
Their assist-to-turnover ratio (2.15) is second-best in the league, and their 20.9 assists per game rank sixth nationally. In short: they move the ball, shoot it well, and defend at a high level.
What’s at Stake
For Minnesota, it’s a chance to make a statement. The Gophers haven’t won a Big Ten opener since 2017, and they haven’t beaten Indiana in six years. But a win on Wednesday would do more than snap streaks-it would signal that Medved’s rebuild is already gaining traction.
For Indiana, it’s about maintaining momentum. The Hoosiers are off to a perfect start under DeVries, and a road win to open Big Ten play would only strengthen their early-season résumé.
Up Next
After Wednesday’s showdown, things don’t get any easier for the Gophers. They’ll head to West Lafayette to face No.
1 Purdue on Dec. 10.
That game is also set for a 6 p.m. tip on BTN.
But first, it’s Indiana. Two new coaches.
One historic venue. And a Big Ten opener that’s got plenty of intrigue.