Gophers Ready to Host Campbell Camels Sunday Night

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (PBP - Cory Provus, Analyst - Parker Fox)
Tip Time: 5:07 p.m. (potential slide)
Radio: KTLK (103.5FM & AM 1130) - Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius: 372

SERIES INFORMATION*
All-Time Series: Second Meeting (First Vacated)
Medved vs. Campbell: 1-0
* excludes vacated games

STARTING FIVE
• The Golden Gopher men's basketball team is back in action for the first time in a week when they host the Campbell Fighting Camels on Sunday. It marks the second time in school history these two teams have played, with the first vacated in 1997. It's also the second time in Niko Medved's coaching career facing the Camels and first since he was at Furman in 2017. The Paladins defeated the Camels, 79-64, in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
• Minnesota is looking for back-to-back wins Sunday after an 89-53 win over Texas Southern on Dec. 14. Minnesota made 15-of-34 three-pointers, which ranked fourth in school history. The last time the Gophers had 15 or more three-pointers in a game was when they set a school record with 18 treys vs. Nebraska on March 8, 2020.
• Cade Tyson produced a career-high 38 points in the win over Texas Southern. That tied for eighth-most in school history and tops his previous high of 31 points. Tyson tied Minnesota's school record for three-pointers in a game, becoming the sixth player with eight in a game, and the first since Payton Willis (Rutgers, 1/22/22). Tyson's 38-point game marks the most points for a Gopher since Dawson Garcia (36 at Ohio State, 12/3/23). Tyson is first in the Big Ten and fourth nationally in scoring at 22.6 ppg and sixth nationally in overall points (249).
• In the last game, the Gophers were credited with a season-high 27 assists on 28 made field goals, which was rated a 96.4 assist percentage. On assist percentage for the season, the Gophers currently lead the entire nation at 72 percent. Minnesota came near perfect in field goals assisted on, with the other being against Chicago State, when it assisted on 18 of 19 field goals.
• Langston Reynolds dished out a career-high 10 assists in the Texas Southern win, topping his previous best of eight versus Idaho State (1/4/25). He's the first Minnesota player with 10 or more assists in a game since Mike Mitchell Jr. had 10 versus Oregon on Jan. 25, 2025.

WHERE THEY RANK
• Along with Cade Tyson's points per game, Minnesota ranks high in a few statistical categories. Isaac Asuma ranks ninth in the B1G in assists (50) and eighth in assists per game (4.5).
• Jaylen Crocker-Johnson ranks sixth in the Big Ten in overall rebounds (89), seventh in rebounds per game (8.1) sixth in defensive rebounds per game (5.8), seventh in offensive rebounds per game (2.27), and seventh in double-doubles (3).
• As a team, the Gophers hold the seventh-best scoring defense in the league (68.1 points) and eighth in rebound margin (5.0).
• Minnesota has a 50.2% free-throw attempt rate this season, which is currently the seventh highest mark in the nation and the second-highest among major conference teams. Only USC is higher at 54 percent.
• On assist percentage for the season, the Gophers currently lead the entire nation at 72 percent.

ABOUT THE CAMELS
• Campbell is playing their third game this week and has back-to-back road games as it enters the Minnesota game Sunday. The Camels are 5-6 this season, led by first-year head coach John Andrzejek, who was an assistant on Florida's national championship team last season. CU was predicted to finish seventh in the CAA preseason poll, while Dovydas Butka snagged CAA preseason honors. The Camels are facing their sixth high-major opponent in the Gophers, including their second Big Ten team this season. They opened the campaign in Madison, Wis., and fell, 96-64, to the Badgers. CU is also coming off a road loss to No. 7 Gonzaga on Wednesday (98-70).
• The Camels have four averaging double digits, led by D.J. Smith with 19.4 points. He's followed by Butka, who averages 16.6 points and 8.6 rebounds. Chris Fields Jr averages a team-best 9.6 rebounds and is third in scoring at 13.3 points. Jeremiah Johnson rounds out the top scorers, averaging 10.7 points. Cam Gregory leads the team in assists (34) and has started in all 11 games.
• Campbell is averaging 81.7 points, while allowing 79.5. They are shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from the arc. As a team, the Camels average 40.8 rebounds, ranking 45th nationally in rebounding margin (7.5) and 22nd in offensive rebounds. The Camels also rank 29th nationally in fastbreak points (16.91), 20th in free throw attempts (27.4), and 37th in free throws made (18.8).

ON THE DOCKET
• Following the Campbell game, the Gophers are back in action on Dec. 29 when they host Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) at 8 p.m. The game is on the Big Ten Network and on KTLK (103.5FM & AM 1130) with Mike Grimm and Al Nolen.

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Players Mentioned

Isaac Asuma

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson

Parker Fox

Dawson Garcia

Mike Mitchell Jr.

Langston Reynolds

Cade Tyson