The Gophers are back at the Barn on Thursday night, and they’re bringing a 3-0 record, a fresh dose of momentum and a matchup with Southern that comes with a little history attached.
Minnesota and Southern haven’t seen each other since 2014, when the Gophers rolled to an 85-57 win at home. That’s the only meeting between the programs, and Minnesota has the edge in the all-time series, 1-0. The Gophers are also 15-0 all time against current SWAC members, and Thursday’s game is the first of two SWAC opponents on this year’s schedule.
Tipoff is set for 7:01 p.m., with the game streaming on B1G+. Radio coverage will be on KTLK 103.5 FM and 1130 AM with Mike Grimm and Al Nolen, and Sirius Radio channel 263.
Minnesota comes in after one of its most dramatic wins in recent memory, a 63-61 comeback at Cincinnati on Monday. Bobby Durkin buried the game-winning three with .4 seconds left, capping a 9-0 run that flipped the game at the finish.
It was Minnesota’s first last-second shot since Dawson Garcia’s winner over Michigan on Jan. 16, 2025, and its first nonconference win over a Power 4 opponent since Mississippi State on Dec. 5, 2021.
That win also came with plenty of sloppiness. The Gophers turned it over 17 times and still found a way to escape, something they hadn’t done in a while. It was the first time since Nov. 6, 2023, against Bethune-Cookman that Minnesota committed 15 or more turnovers and still won, and the first time since March 10, 2021, that it did that against a Power 4 team, beating Northwestern.
Kyan Evans was the other major storyline from Monday night. He put together a breakout performance with a career-high 26 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, while also setting personal bests for field goals made and attempted with 11 and 19.
His 26 topped the 23 points he scored against Memphis in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Through three games, the senior is averaging 12.7 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds.
The Gophers are 3-0 for the first time since the 2021-22 season, and they’ll get a chance to keep the start rolling with a pair of home games. After Southern, Minnesota hosts Western Illinois on Monday before heading away from the Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota until Dec. 8.
Southern arrives with a 0-4 record and a tough road stretch still in front of it. The Jaguars opened with an 85-72 loss at SMU on Nov. 2, then dropped games to TCU, 106-54, Drake, 75-68, and Iowa State on Tuesday night, 84-47.
They’re on a five-game road trip and won’t play their first home game until Nov. 17, after leaving Minneapolis. From there, Southern heads back out for games at Nebraska on Nov. 25 and Vanderbilt on Nov.
The Jaguars were picked to finish second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, earning three first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll announced Oct. 17.
Bethune-Cookman was tabbed first. Malik Ferguson and Daniel Dormu lead Southern in scoring at 8.0 points per game, while RChaun King is averaging 7.8.
King leads the team in assists with 16 and also leads the Jaguars in rebounds, while Dormu tops the roster with eight steals.
Minnesota also announced a future addition to its roster, with coach Niko Medved saying Isaiah Santos has officially signed and will join the program in June of 2027. Santos, a 6-foot-5 forward from Katy, Texas, plays for Seven Lakes High School, AB Elite and Team Brazil.
As a junior at Seven Lakes, Santos averaged 22.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while helping lead the Spartans to a 35-1 season. He earned All-Greater Houston Player of the Year honors for that run. Santos has been with Team Brazil since 2023, helped Brazil win bronze at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup this past June with averages of 14.3 points and 8.7 rebounds, and also played on Brazil’s 2024 FIBA U17 team, where he averaged 15 points and 9.2 rebounds in the South American Championship.
Minnesota’s next home game after Thursday comes Monday, Nov. 16, against Western Illinois at 7 p.m. That game will be televised on Big Ten Network, with Mike Grimm and Al Nolen on the call on KFAN FM 100.3 and the Gopher Radio Network.
In Other News...
Gophers Face A Season Pressure Point At Penn State
Minnesota heads to Beaver Stadium on Saturday night with more than just another Big Ten road test on the schedule. The Gophers are trying to snap a two-game conference skid and keep themselves on track for bowl eligibility for a sixth straight season, which gives this trip to Penn State a little extra weight even before kickoff at 6 p.m.
The matchup will be on FOX Sports 1, with FOX 9 carrying the pregame and coach shows, giving fans a full day of coverage around a game that could shape the final stretch of Minnesotas season. Penn State has been a difficult place for visitors, and the Gophers will be looking to handle the pressure point of November with their postseason goals still in reach. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Smith's Penn State Return Gives This Gophers Trip Extra Juice
A trip to Penn State already carries plenty of weight for Minnesota, but Anthony Smiths return to Beaver Stadium adds a personal layer to the matchup. The Gophers defensive lineman is expecting a sizable Minnesota presence in the stands, which should give the road game a little extra energy beyond the usual Big Ten backdrop.
Drake Lindsey is trying to keep the focus where it belongs, on the current season rather than any talk about 2027, while Greg Johnson is already looking ahead in a different way. The offensive lineman voiced support for the College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams next year, a reminder that even as Minnesota prepares for one of its biggest road tests, the conversation around the sport keeps stretching into what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Land A Recruit Who Signals Bigger Plans Ahead
Minnesota added another piece to its future frontcourt when Isaiah Santos officially signed with the Gophers, giving Niko Medved a 6-foot-5 forward with a rsum that stretches well beyond Katy, Texas. Santos has played for Seven Lakes High School, Team Brazil and AB Elite AAU, and the programs announcement underscored the kind of versatility that has made him one of the more intriguing young prospects in the class.
Medveds staff clearly sees more than just another name on the board here. Santos arrives with a blend of high school and international experience that suggests Minnesota is aiming higher in how it builds its roster, not just for one season but for the next wave of talent coming through the program. The signing itself is a meaningful step, and it also hints at how much bigger the Gophers believe this recruiting run can get. [Read more 🡒]