University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 9
7:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Southern California
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard/Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Take On Trojans for Friday Night Contest
1/8/2026 2:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN (PBP - Cory Provus, Analyst - Jordan Taylor)
Tip Time: 7:33 p.m.
Radio: KFAN (KFAN FM 100.3) - Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius: 383
SERIES INFORMATION*
All-Time Series: 8th Meeting (MN Leads, 5-2)
Last Meeting: Feb. 15, 2025 (MN Win, 69-66)
Medved vs. USC: 0-1
MN vs. Big Ten Teams: 824-951
* excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Golden Gopher men's basketball team is in the midst of playing three games in six days when it hosts Southern California Friday night. It also marks the second game in a three-game homestand as Minnesota also hosts Wisconsin on Tuesday. It's the second time Medved has faced the Trojans in his coaching career and the first since 2022, when the Colorado State Rams faced the Trojans at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame game in Phoenix, Ariz.
• Minnesota is looking for its sixth-straight win after a 70-67 win over No. 19 Iowa on Tuesday. Langston Reynolds made 9-of-13 field goals to finish with a season-high 22 points. Cade Tyson added 16 points as Minnesota (10-5, 3-1 B1G) fought off a furious Hawkeye rally. It was Minnesota's second home win against a Top 25 team after it defeated then-No. 22 Indiana on Dec. 3.
• The last time the Gophers won five straight dates back to the 2023-24 season, the same year Minnesota started the Big Ten season 3-1. The Gophers are also 9-0 at Williams Arena this year, the best start to a home season since the Gophers won 11 in 2020-21, which ran from Nov. 25 to Jan. 16.
• Minnesota is off to a great start in the new year, winning back-to-back Big Ten games. In those wins, Cade Tyson is averaging 20 points, while Langston Reynolds is averaging 17.5 points and 17 assists, followed by Isaac Asuma with 14 points. As a team, the Gophers are shooting 51 percent from the field and 79.6 percent from the charity stripe.
• Cade Tyson has reached double-figures in all 15 games this season and, against Northwestern, added his eighth game with 20-plus points (two with 30-plus). He ranks second in the B1G in scoring with 21.7 points, ninth nationally, while his 325 points rank first in the B1G and 11th nationally.
PASSING IT AROUND
• On assist percentage for the season, the Gophers currently lead the entire nation at 75.4 percent. As of late, Minnesota had 25 assists off 28 field goals vs. Northwestern, 20 assists on 22 makes vs. FDU, 26 assists on 30 FGs vs. Campbell, 27 assists on 28 field goals vs. Texas Southern and 18 assists on 19 makes vs. Chicago State. The second-highest in the nation is Cornell at 71.0 percent, followed by Michigan State at 69.5.
SHARING THE LOVE
• Tuesday's win over Iowa marked the sixth time this season in which four or more Gophers have scored double-digit points in a game and the fourth time in the last five games. Minnesota's first game came against Alcorn State, followed by Indiana, Texas Southern, Campbell, Northwestern and now Iowa where Langston Reynolds had 22 points, Cade Tyson had 16 and Isaac Asuma and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson each had 10. Bobby Durkin was one point away from having all five in double digits when he had nine vs. the Hawkeyes. Minnesota is 6-0 when four or more Gophers score in double digits.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Minnesota leads the all-time series at 5-2, dating back to 1960. The Gophers have won the last five straight and welcome the Trjoans to Williams Arena for the first time since Dec. 3, 2011.
• The Gophers earned a 69-66 win over USC in the last meeting on Feb. 25, 2025, when Lu'Cye Patterson scored 25 points and Frank Mitchell added a double double (15 points, 12 rebounds). The Gophers rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit for the win.
WHERE THEY RANK
• Along with Cade Tyson's points per game, Minnesota ranks high in a few statistical categories. Isaac Asuma ranks 10th in the B1G in assists (62), while Langston Reynolds is 13th (58). Tyson also ranks first in free throws (102), second in attempts (125) and fifth in field goals made (96).
• Jaylen Crocker-Johnson ranks 10th in the Big Ten in overall rebounds (105), 11th in rebounds per game (7.0) ninth in defensive rebounds per game (5.13) and ninth in double-doubles (3).
• As a team, the Gophers hold the fourth-best scoring defense in the league (65.8 points) and 27th nationally. They also rank third in steals per game (7.4).
• Minnesota has a 46.5 percent free-throw attempt rate this season, which is currently the 11th highest mark in the nation and the second-highest in the Big Ten. Only USC is higher at 51.1 percent
• On assist percentage for the season, the Gophers currently lead the entire nation at 75.4 percent.
ABOUT THE TROJANS
• The Southern California Trojans are 12-3 this season and are currently on their third-straight road swing after a pair of losses to ranked Michigan and Michigan State recently. USC split its earlier Big Ten December games, defeating Oregon (82-77) but falling to Washington (84-76). The Trojans fell out of the rankings this week and are currently receiving votes.
• USC's roster lost its leading scorer, Rodney Rice, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Prior to his departure, he was averaging 20.3 points. Chad Baker-Mazara has taken over as their top scorer, averaging 19.3 points, 46 assists, and a team-best 85 field goals. He's followed by Ezra Asuar, who averages 16.9 points and is shooting 60 percent. Jacob Cofie leads the team in rebounds (6.5), steals (17) and blocks (27).
• As a team, USC averages 85.3 points and allows 77 per game. The Trojans are shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three-point range. Their scoring offense ranks fourth in the league, and they are the best team in the country at free-throw percentage per game (22.1). They average 37.3 rebounds and have 90 blocks on the season, which ranks second in the B1G.
ON THE DOCKET
• The Gophers are back home when it hosts Wisconsin on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. The game is on Big Ten Network and KFAN 100.3 FM.
TV: BTN (PBP - Cory Provus, Analyst - Jordan Taylor)
Tip Time: 7:33 p.m.
Radio: KFAN (KFAN FM 100.3) - Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius: 383
SERIES INFORMATION*
All-Time Series: 8th Meeting (MN Leads, 5-2)
Last Meeting: Feb. 15, 2025 (MN Win, 69-66)
Medved vs. USC: 0-1
MN vs. Big Ten Teams: 824-951
* excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The Golden Gopher men's basketball team is in the midst of playing three games in six days when it hosts Southern California Friday night. It also marks the second game in a three-game homestand as Minnesota also hosts Wisconsin on Tuesday. It's the second time Medved has faced the Trojans in his coaching career and the first since 2022, when the Colorado State Rams faced the Trojans at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame game in Phoenix, Ariz.
• Minnesota is looking for its sixth-straight win after a 70-67 win over No. 19 Iowa on Tuesday. Langston Reynolds made 9-of-13 field goals to finish with a season-high 22 points. Cade Tyson added 16 points as Minnesota (10-5, 3-1 B1G) fought off a furious Hawkeye rally. It was Minnesota's second home win against a Top 25 team after it defeated then-No. 22 Indiana on Dec. 3.
• The last time the Gophers won five straight dates back to the 2023-24 season, the same year Minnesota started the Big Ten season 3-1. The Gophers are also 9-0 at Williams Arena this year, the best start to a home season since the Gophers won 11 in 2020-21, which ran from Nov. 25 to Jan. 16.
• Minnesota is off to a great start in the new year, winning back-to-back Big Ten games. In those wins, Cade Tyson is averaging 20 points, while Langston Reynolds is averaging 17.5 points and 17 assists, followed by Isaac Asuma with 14 points. As a team, the Gophers are shooting 51 percent from the field and 79.6 percent from the charity stripe.
• Cade Tyson has reached double-figures in all 15 games this season and, against Northwestern, added his eighth game with 20-plus points (two with 30-plus). He ranks second in the B1G in scoring with 21.7 points, ninth nationally, while his 325 points rank first in the B1G and 11th nationally.
PASSING IT AROUND
• On assist percentage for the season, the Gophers currently lead the entire nation at 75.4 percent. As of late, Minnesota had 25 assists off 28 field goals vs. Northwestern, 20 assists on 22 makes vs. FDU, 26 assists on 30 FGs vs. Campbell, 27 assists on 28 field goals vs. Texas Southern and 18 assists on 19 makes vs. Chicago State. The second-highest in the nation is Cornell at 71.0 percent, followed by Michigan State at 69.5.
SHARING THE LOVE
• Tuesday's win over Iowa marked the sixth time this season in which four or more Gophers have scored double-digit points in a game and the fourth time in the last five games. Minnesota's first game came against Alcorn State, followed by Indiana, Texas Southern, Campbell, Northwestern and now Iowa where Langston Reynolds had 22 points, Cade Tyson had 16 and Isaac Asuma and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson each had 10. Bobby Durkin was one point away from having all five in double digits when he had nine vs. the Hawkeyes. Minnesota is 6-0 when four or more Gophers score in double digits.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Minnesota leads the all-time series at 5-2, dating back to 1960. The Gophers have won the last five straight and welcome the Trjoans to Williams Arena for the first time since Dec. 3, 2011.
• The Gophers earned a 69-66 win over USC in the last meeting on Feb. 25, 2025, when Lu'Cye Patterson scored 25 points and Frank Mitchell added a double double (15 points, 12 rebounds). The Gophers rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit for the win.
WHERE THEY RANK
• Along with Cade Tyson's points per game, Minnesota ranks high in a few statistical categories. Isaac Asuma ranks 10th in the B1G in assists (62), while Langston Reynolds is 13th (58). Tyson also ranks first in free throws (102), second in attempts (125) and fifth in field goals made (96).
• Jaylen Crocker-Johnson ranks 10th in the Big Ten in overall rebounds (105), 11th in rebounds per game (7.0) ninth in defensive rebounds per game (5.13) and ninth in double-doubles (3).
• As a team, the Gophers hold the fourth-best scoring defense in the league (65.8 points) and 27th nationally. They also rank third in steals per game (7.4).
• Minnesota has a 46.5 percent free-throw attempt rate this season, which is currently the 11th highest mark in the nation and the second-highest in the Big Ten. Only USC is higher at 51.1 percent
• On assist percentage for the season, the Gophers currently lead the entire nation at 75.4 percent.
ABOUT THE TROJANS
• The Southern California Trojans are 12-3 this season and are currently on their third-straight road swing after a pair of losses to ranked Michigan and Michigan State recently. USC split its earlier Big Ten December games, defeating Oregon (82-77) but falling to Washington (84-76). The Trojans fell out of the rankings this week and are currently receiving votes.
• USC's roster lost its leading scorer, Rodney Rice, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Prior to his departure, he was averaging 20.3 points. Chad Baker-Mazara has taken over as their top scorer, averaging 19.3 points, 46 assists, and a team-best 85 field goals. He's followed by Ezra Asuar, who averages 16.9 points and is shooting 60 percent. Jacob Cofie leads the team in rebounds (6.5), steals (17) and blocks (27).
• As a team, USC averages 85.3 points and allows 77 per game. The Trojans are shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three-point range. Their scoring offense ranks fourth in the league, and they are the best team in the country at free-throw percentage per game (22.1). They average 37.3 rebounds and have 90 blocks on the season, which ranks second in the B1G.
ON THE DOCKET
• The Gophers are back home when it hosts Wisconsin on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. The game is on Big Ten Network and KFAN 100.3 FM.
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Hawkeyes
Friday, January 09
Postgame Reaction: Gophers-Iowa
Wednesday, January 07
Highlights: Gophers 70, Iowa 67
Tuesday, January 06
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Win at Northwestern
Tuesday, January 06