The Gophers wasted no time making a statement in their season opener, rolling past North Dakota 85-50 Monday night at The Barn.
Bobby Durkin set the tone early and finished with a team-high 16 points, knocking down four 3-pointers as one of five Minnesota players to score in double figures. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson added 15, while Isaac Asuma and Malick Kordel each chipped in 13. Kordel, the 7-foot-2 center, was especially active after halftime, throwing down four dunks during an 18-0 run that blew the game open.
Minnesota controlled the first half from the start, building a lead as large as 23 points before taking a 16-point advantage into the break. The ball movement was crisp throughout, with the Gophers piling up 13 assists on 15 made field goals - the kind of unselfish offense that was a hallmark under head coach Niko Medved last season.
Durkin was the top scorer in the opening half as well, pouring in 12 points while hitting 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. North Dakota struggled badly to find any rhythm, making just four of its first 28 shots in the half and shooting 25% before the break. The Hawks did close the half by making their final four attempts.
Hopkins native Jayden Moore led North Dakota with 13 points.
Minnesota has now gone 21-2 against North Dakota since 2014. The Gophers also beat the Hawks 82-62 in an exhibition last year.
The win came without three sidelined Gophers: Cade Tyson, who is dealing with an eligibility case in federal court, Chadrack Mpoyi, who has an NCAA eligibility issue, and Winters Grady, whose absence was listed as unknown.
Minnesota’s next game is Friday at 7 p.m. against St. Thomas, which is projected to finish second in the Summit League preseason poll. North Dakota was picked sixth in the eight-team conference.
In Other News...
Gophers Open Medveds Second Season With An Encouraging Early Sign
The first night of Niko Medveds second season on the Minnesota bench brought the kind of start coaches love to see: a lopsided 85-50 win over North Dakota that looked comfortable from the opening stretch. The Gophers shot well, controlled the game on both ends and put together a balanced effort with five players finishing in double figures, a sign that the offense had more than one reliable source right away.
Bobby Durkin paced Minnesota with 16 points, but the bigger takeaway was how many pieces fit together in the opener. For a program trying to build momentum under Medved, a 38-point margin is more than just a clean result against a nonconference opponent, it is the kind of early evidence that the rosters depth and structure may be ahead of schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Opened The Season Looking Better Than Anyone Expected
Minnesotas season opener offered an early glimpse of a team that looked sharper and more connected than expected, rolling past North Dakota 85-50 behind a balanced effort and a defense that set the tone from the start. Bobby Durkin provided the biggest scoring punch, giving the Gophers a reliable perimeter threat while the rest of the group helped turn the night into a comfortable first step.
The more encouraging part for Minnesota may have been how little room it gave North Dakota to breathe. The Gophers were disruptive on that end all night, forcing tough looks and keeping the visitors out of rhythm from deep, the kind of defensive start that can travel once the schedule gets tougher. If this opener is any indication, Minnesota may have more early-season substance than the outside expectations suggested. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Get Rare Shot To Erase Indiana Pain Against No. 5 UCLA
Minnesota came agonizingly close to a breakthrough against Indiana, only to leave with an overtime loss after the teams traded 60-yard field goals in the closing moments. It was the kind of finish that can linger, especially for a Gophers group that has leaned on its defense and special teams while looking for more consistency on offense.
Now the focus shifts to a different kind of test with No. 5 UCLA coming to town, and the stakes are obvious for Minnesota as it tries to turn a painful finish into a reset. The Bruins sit atop the Big Ten under first-year coach Bob Chesney, and while they have had to adjust at quarterback, the Gophers are more concerned with finding a cleaner offensive showing to match the level they have been getting elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]