The Gophers men’s basketball team is ushering in a new era with Niko Medved as head coach for the 2025-26 season. Having missed the NCAA Tournament since 2018-19, what must the team do to earn a spot in the Big Dance?
1. Two-year window
Gophers fans may not want to hear it, but the current team likely has a two-year window to reestablish itself in the Big Ten. Only Cade Tyson, Langston Reynolds, and Robert Vaihola are key players whose eligibility ends after the 2025-26 season. If all goes as hoped—though modern college basketball is unpredictable—Minnesota could see players like Chansey Willis Jr., Isaac Asuma, Bobby Durkin, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, and Nehemiah Turner return in 2026-27. This gives the coaching staff a chance to assess these new pieces and build around them.
2. The Isaac Asuma leap
Minnesota’s potential in the 2025-26 season will hinge on the development of Isaac Asuma. As a freshman, he showed promise, scoring 10+ points in six games, with decision-making akin to a seasoned starter and efficient field shooting. If he secures the lead guard role over Willis Jr. and Reynolds as a sophomore, it would signal significant offseason growth. Asuma likely has the highest ceiling on the roster, and elite guard play is key to winning in March.
3. Big man dilemma
The Big Ten has evolved into a league dominated by big men, with stars like Zach Edey earning consecutive National Player of the Year honors and Michigan boasting Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin. Every team in the conference seems to have a formidable seven-footer. Minnesota, however, faces a critical challenge with no natural center. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson and Robert Vaihola are expected to anchor the frontcourt in the near term, but can Nehemiah Turner emerge as the dynamic center needed to compete in the Big Ten? Or will the Gophers’ lack of size become a liability during the heart of conference play?
4. Which Cade Tyson will we see?
Minnesota made a major splash in the transfer portal with Cade Tyson joining on June 1. After two standout seasons at Belmont, he struggled at North Carolina last year, averaging just 2.6 points in 7.9 minutes per game. At 6-foot-7, Tyson was a mid-major star in 2023-24, posting 16.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game with 49.3/46.5/85.5 shooting splits. While the Gophers may not need him to replicate his Belmont numbers, they’ll need a performance much closer to that level than his North Carolina output to exceed expectations in 2025-26.
5. Who will lead the team in scoring?
Minnesota’s primary challenge may be the lack of a definitive top scoring option. Players like Bobby Durkin, Chansey Willis Jr., Langston Reynolds, Isaac Asuma, and even Cade Tyson could lead the team in scoring on any given night, but who will emerge as the season-long leader? Nearly every successful basketball team, at any level, has a clear alpha scorer, and the Gophers will need to identify theirs to succeed in 2025-26.
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