University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 6
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
St. Thomas
11/5/2026 11:11:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Stream: Peacock (Steve Schlanger- pbp, Jess Settles - analyst)
Tip Time: 7:02 p.m.
Radio: KTLK (103.5FM & AM 1130) (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius Radio: 272
SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: MN leads, 6-1
Minnesota vs. North Dakota at the Barn: 6-1
Medved vs. North Dakota: First Meeting
Last Meeting: Dec. 11, 1934 (MN win, 28-18)
BUSY DAY AT THE BARN/MATURI PAVILION
The University of Minnesota men's basketball program will host St. Thomas at 7 p.m., Friday night, while No. 19 Minnesota volleyball welcomes No. 11 Penn State in volleyball at 6 p.m. Fans attending events are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance here and a limited amount of valet parking is available in advance here. Individuals arriving on campus without a parking pass are encouraged to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium.
OPEN GATE AND BAG POLICY
Entrances in The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will now utilize Open Gate screening technology to expedite entry into the venue. This innovative system is designed to screen individuals for prohibited items without requiring people to remove everyday items like phones or keys. Fans are still encouraged to familiarize themselves with the updated BAG POLICY. The updated bag policy is designed to provide a safer environment and significantly expedite fan entry into the building.
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team is set to play its second game of the season and of the week when it hosts St. Thomas on Friday night. The Golden Gophers and Tommies will battle at 7 p.m. at the Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with the game streaming on Peacock and NBCSN.
• Minnesota is coming off an 85-50 win over North Dakota to kick off the 2026-27 campaign officially. Five Gophers players reached double figures in the win. The last time the Gophers had five in double-digit scoring was during a win against Michigan State, 76-73, on Feb. 4, 2026. It marked Minnesota's 12th straight season-opening win, dating back to 2014. The 35-point season-opening win was the largest for Minnesota since it also defeated Cleveland State 85-50 on Nov. 5, 2019.
• Minnesota is playing its second Summit League opponent of the week when St. Thomas competes at the Barn. Minnesota also hosted another Summit League opponent, Omaha, in exhibition play on Oct. 15, winning 72-52. Medved is 7-5 against current Summit League teams and is facing St. Thomas for the first time.
• Minnesota had six individuals make their Gopher debut, with two making their collegiate debut on Monday. The Golden Gophers officially had Kyan Evans, Malick Kordel, Malachi Palmer and Nolan Groves make their Gopher debut, while Nolen Anderson and Cedric Tomes made their collegiate debut.
• The home of Golden Gopher basketball is now known as the Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, which was introduced on June 12, 2026.
MINNESOTA'S LAST ACTION
• Year two of the Niko Medved era kicked off Monday night, and Minnesota overpowered North Dakota, 85-50 at The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.
• Bobby Durkin led the way by making 4 of 5 3-pointers for 16 points, with Jaylen Crocker-Johnson adding 15 points, Isaac Asuma and Malick Kordel each having 13, and Grayson Grove going for 11. Asuma added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and a career-high 3 blocked shots. Kyan Evans tied Asuma for team-high honors with 6 rebounds, while Grove and Kai Shinholster each had 6 assists. It was the 17th time under Medved that the Gophers have had four or more players score double-digit points.
• Along with Asuma's three blocked shots, Shinholster also garnered a career-best six assists, while Kordel, who saw limited time at Michigan last season, established a career-best 13 points.
SPREADING THE LOVE
• Minnesota had 29 assists on 34 makes in the season opener. This trend continues from Medved's team a year ago when the 2025-26 Gopher edition led the nation in assist percentage at 71 percent.
• In Monday's win, the Gophers had assists from nine of 11 players who saw the court. Grayson Grove, Isaac Asuma and Kai Shinholster led the way with six. Asuma's assist range went from 67 as a freshman to 123 last year as a sophomore.
MAKE IT RAIN
• The 2025-26 Golden Gopher squad earned a school record of 278 three-pointers, breaking the previous record of 272 set in the 2013-14 season. Minnesota looks to continue that trend in the 2026-27 season, opening the year with 10 threes in the North Dakota win.
• Bobby Durkin opened his senior campaign going 4-of-5 from the three-point range against North Dakota. Last year, Durkin hit 80 threes, which ranked fourth in school history for threes in a single season.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Friday's contest marks the first time the Golden Gophers will compete against the Tommies since 1934 and the first since St. Thomas competed at the Division I level in 2021. Minnesota's record is 6-1 against the Tommies when they were Division III, dating from 1907-1934. All contests were held on the U of M campus. The Gophers beat St. Thomas five straight from 1907 to 1919. Minnesota's lone loss to St. Thomas came in 1933 in a 25-24 Tommies victory, but the Gophers earned their sixth win in 1934, 28-18.
ABOUT ST. THOMAS
• St. Thomas, predicted to finish second in the Summit League this year, opened the 2026-27 season with an 87-78 win over Presbyterian. Tim Franks led the team with a career-high 24 points.
• St. Thomas landed three individuals in preseason All-Summit League First Team honors in Carter Bjerke, Kendall Blue and Austin Herro. Bjerke started all 34 games in 2025-26, averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 44.9% from beyond the arc. Herro started in 24 of 27 games and averaged 5.5 points. He also had 94 assists, 46 steals, 13 blocks and 36 turnovers.
• St. Thomas welcomes seven newcomers, six transfers including Blue, along with one true freshman. Blue, who played at Nebraska a year ago, returned to St. Thomas. He was injured before playing in the Tommies' season opener.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
• With Nov. 2 signifying opening day of college basketball, 16 Big Ten teams, including the Gophers, opened the season that day. Iowa opened the season on Nov. 3, and the Big Ten went 15-2 in the first two days. Rutgers opens the season on Nov. 6.
• Of the 18 schools in the Big Ten, 15 teams open with games at home. Purdue and UCLA opened the season in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame Series. The Boilermakers fell to Gonzaga, 78-72, while UCLA defeated Arizona, 84-75. Ohio State traveled to BYU for its opening game and fell, 94-83.
ON THE DOCKET
• With Nov. 2 signifying opening day of college basketball, 16 Big Ten teams, including the Gophers, opened the season that day. Iowa opened the season on Nov. 3, and the Big Ten went 15-2 in the first two days. Rutgers opens the season on Nov. 6.
• Of the 18 schools in the Big Ten, 15 teams open with games at home. Purdue and UCLA opened the season in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame Series. The Boilermakers fell to Gonzaga, 78-72, while UCLA defeated Arizona, 84-75. Ohio State traveled to BYU for its opening game and fell, 94-83.
Stream: Peacock (Steve Schlanger- pbp, Jess Settles - analyst)
Tip Time: 7:02 p.m.
Radio: KTLK (103.5FM & AM 1130) (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Sirius Radio: 272
SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: MN leads, 6-1
Minnesota vs. North Dakota at the Barn: 6-1
Medved vs. North Dakota: First Meeting
Last Meeting: Dec. 11, 1934 (MN win, 28-18)
BUSY DAY AT THE BARN/MATURI PAVILION
The University of Minnesota men's basketball program will host St. Thomas at 7 p.m., Friday night, while No. 19 Minnesota volleyball welcomes No. 11 Penn State in volleyball at 6 p.m. Fans attending events are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance here and a limited amount of valet parking is available in advance here. Individuals arriving on campus without a parking pass are encouraged to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium.
OPEN GATE AND BAG POLICY
Entrances in The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will now utilize Open Gate screening technology to expedite entry into the venue. This innovative system is designed to screen individuals for prohibited items without requiring people to remove everyday items like phones or keys. Fans are still encouraged to familiarize themselves with the updated BAG POLICY. The updated bag policy is designed to provide a safer environment and significantly expedite fan entry into the building.
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball team is set to play its second game of the season and of the week when it hosts St. Thomas on Friday night. The Golden Gophers and Tommies will battle at 7 p.m. at the Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with the game streaming on Peacock and NBCSN.
• Minnesota is coming off an 85-50 win over North Dakota to kick off the 2026-27 campaign officially. Five Gophers players reached double figures in the win. The last time the Gophers had five in double-digit scoring was during a win against Michigan State, 76-73, on Feb. 4, 2026. It marked Minnesota's 12th straight season-opening win, dating back to 2014. The 35-point season-opening win was the largest for Minnesota since it also defeated Cleveland State 85-50 on Nov. 5, 2019.
• Minnesota is playing its second Summit League opponent of the week when St. Thomas competes at the Barn. Minnesota also hosted another Summit League opponent, Omaha, in exhibition play on Oct. 15, winning 72-52. Medved is 7-5 against current Summit League teams and is facing St. Thomas for the first time.
• Minnesota had six individuals make their Gopher debut, with two making their collegiate debut on Monday. The Golden Gophers officially had Kyan Evans, Malick Kordel, Malachi Palmer and Nolan Groves make their Gopher debut, while Nolen Anderson and Cedric Tomes made their collegiate debut.
• The home of Golden Gopher basketball is now known as the Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, which was introduced on June 12, 2026.
MINNESOTA'S LAST ACTION
• Year two of the Niko Medved era kicked off Monday night, and Minnesota overpowered North Dakota, 85-50 at The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.
• Bobby Durkin led the way by making 4 of 5 3-pointers for 16 points, with Jaylen Crocker-Johnson adding 15 points, Isaac Asuma and Malick Kordel each having 13, and Grayson Grove going for 11. Asuma added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and a career-high 3 blocked shots. Kyan Evans tied Asuma for team-high honors with 6 rebounds, while Grove and Kai Shinholster each had 6 assists. It was the 17th time under Medved that the Gophers have had four or more players score double-digit points.
• Along with Asuma's three blocked shots, Shinholster also garnered a career-best six assists, while Kordel, who saw limited time at Michigan last season, established a career-best 13 points.
SPREADING THE LOVE
• Minnesota had 29 assists on 34 makes in the season opener. This trend continues from Medved's team a year ago when the 2025-26 Gopher edition led the nation in assist percentage at 71 percent.
• In Monday's win, the Gophers had assists from nine of 11 players who saw the court. Grayson Grove, Isaac Asuma and Kai Shinholster led the way with six. Asuma's assist range went from 67 as a freshman to 123 last year as a sophomore.
MAKE IT RAIN
• The 2025-26 Golden Gopher squad earned a school record of 278 three-pointers, breaking the previous record of 272 set in the 2013-14 season. Minnesota looks to continue that trend in the 2026-27 season, opening the year with 10 threes in the North Dakota win.
• Bobby Durkin opened his senior campaign going 4-of-5 from the three-point range against North Dakota. Last year, Durkin hit 80 threes, which ranked fourth in school history for threes in a single season.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Friday's contest marks the first time the Golden Gophers will compete against the Tommies since 1934 and the first since St. Thomas competed at the Division I level in 2021. Minnesota's record is 6-1 against the Tommies when they were Division III, dating from 1907-1934. All contests were held on the U of M campus. The Gophers beat St. Thomas five straight from 1907 to 1919. Minnesota's lone loss to St. Thomas came in 1933 in a 25-24 Tommies victory, but the Gophers earned their sixth win in 1934, 28-18.
ABOUT ST. THOMAS
• St. Thomas, predicted to finish second in the Summit League this year, opened the 2026-27 season with an 87-78 win over Presbyterian. Tim Franks led the team with a career-high 24 points.
• St. Thomas landed three individuals in preseason All-Summit League First Team honors in Carter Bjerke, Kendall Blue and Austin Herro. Bjerke started all 34 games in 2025-26, averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 44.9% from beyond the arc. Herro started in 24 of 27 games and averaged 5.5 points. He also had 94 assists, 46 steals, 13 blocks and 36 turnovers.
• St. Thomas welcomes seven newcomers, six transfers including Blue, along with one true freshman. Blue, who played at Nebraska a year ago, returned to St. Thomas. He was injured before playing in the Tommies' season opener.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
• With Nov. 2 signifying opening day of college basketball, 16 Big Ten teams, including the Gophers, opened the season that day. Iowa opened the season on Nov. 3, and the Big Ten went 15-2 in the first two days. Rutgers opens the season on Nov. 6.
• Of the 18 schools in the Big Ten, 15 teams open with games at home. Purdue and UCLA opened the season in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame Series. The Boilermakers fell to Gonzaga, 78-72, while UCLA defeated Arizona, 84-75. Ohio State traveled to BYU for its opening game and fell, 94-83.
ON THE DOCKET
• With Nov. 2 signifying opening day of college basketball, 16 Big Ten teams, including the Gophers, opened the season that day. Iowa opened the season on Nov. 3, and the Big Ten went 15-2 in the first two days. Rutgers opens the season on Nov. 6.
• Of the 18 schools in the Big Ten, 15 teams open with games at home. Purdue and UCLA opened the season in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame Series. The Boilermakers fell to Gonzaga, 78-72, while UCLA defeated Arizona, 84-75. Ohio State traveled to BYU for its opening game and fell, 94-83.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
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Forward
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Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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Center
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballTuesday, November 03
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