Minnesota basketball opens non-conference slate with 85-50 win over North Dakota
The Gophers will face St. Thomas in their first Division I matchup Friday, a game coach Niko Medved describes as having no resume upside but high local value.
By Michael Bennett ·
The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team began the 2026-27 campaign with a decisive 85-50 victory over North Dakota on Monday night. Five Gophers recorded double-digit scoring, and the squad recorded 29 assists on 34 made field goals. Coach Niko Medved credited the team for playing unselfishly and moving the ball effectively during the opener.
Friday night marks the first time the Gophers will play the University of St. Thomas in a Division I non-conference game. St. Thomas moved up to Division I in 2021, making this the initial meeting between the two programs at that level. The game will be played at The Barn, with an expected attendance of approximately 10,000 fans. Medved stated that the crowd size is a positive development for basketball in the region, though he cautioned against treating the matchup as larger than it is for the season's purposes.
Medved has been explicit about the strategic trade-offs of scheduling a local rival. He noted that the St. Thomas Tommies play in the Summit League, a conference generally classified as a low major. Consequently, a win against them offers little benefit to the Gophers' resume for the NCAA Tournament. However, a loss carries a heavier weight. Medved argued that the primary motivation is generating enthusiasm in the Twin Cities rather than improving the team's national profile.
The coach acknowledged that the scheduling decision has drawn scrutiny from analysts who view the game as inefficient. He compared the matchup to a Quad 1 or Quad 2 contest, suggesting that the emotional value of a local rivalry should not be the sole driver for annual scheduling. He pointed to other programs, such as Cincinnati playing Xavier, as examples of games that combine rivalry with competitive ranking value. Medved emphasized that his goal is to do what is best for Minnesota, even if it means accepting that the game may not happen every year.
The Gophers will use the upcoming week to assess their team's progress before their next contest. The squad travels to Cincinnati on Nov. 9. Medved indicated that this road game will provide a clearer picture of where the team stands compared to the non-conference opener against North Dakota.
