Big Ten Offseason Evaluation: Minnesota Projected Last in Conference Again
The Ben Johnson era at Minnesota is off to a rough start, with a 22-39 record across two seasons and a last-place Big Ten finish in 2022-23.
Minnesota returns leading scorer Dawson Garcia, but lacks talent around him, making a second consecutive season at the bottom of the Big Ten likely.
In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll break down what each team lost and gained this offseason, then provide analysis on the team's outlook for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Let's take a look at the Golden Gophers.
(rankings per On3 Industry Average)
What they lost
- Pro/no eligibility: None
- Transfer portal: Jamison Battle (Ohio State), Ta’Lon Cooper (South Carolina), Treyton Thompson (Stetson), Jaden Henley (DePaul)
- By the numbers: Minnesota lost its second- and third-leading scorers from 2022-23, with Battle (12.4 ppg) and Cooper (9.8 transferring out). Henley, a 6-foot-7 guard, scored 5.3 points per game as a sophomore, and Thompson added 2.1 points as a 6-foot-11 junior.
What they gained
- Transfer portal: Mike Mitchell Jr. (11.4 ppg at Pepperdine), Jack Wilson (0.3 ppg at Washington State), Elijah Hawkins (12.9 ppg at Howard)
- Freshmen: Cameron Christie (No. 121), Kristupas Keinys
Roster
- Dawson Garcia, 6-foot-11 senior forward
- Parker Fox, 6-foot-8 senior forward
- Isaiah Ihnen, 6-foot-10 senior forward
- Will Ramberg, 6-foot-5 senior guard
- Jack Wilson, 6-foot-11 senior center
- Mike Mitchell, 6-foot-2 junior guard
- Elijah Hawkins, 5-foot-11 junior guard
- Pharrel Payne, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward
- Joshua Ola-Joseph, 6-foot-7 sophomore forward
- Braeden Carrington, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard
- Kadyn Betts, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward
- Cameron Christie, 6-foot-6 freshman guard
- Kristupas Keinys, 6-foot-8 freshman forward
- Scholarships available: 0
Biggest concerns
After finishing in last place in the Big Ten by three games last year, Minnesota lost two of its top three leading scorers, with small forward Jamison Battle transferring to Ohio State and point guard Ta'Lon Cooper transferring to South Carolina. The duo led Minnesota in 3-point shooting and were, by far, the team's most reliable perimeter players. Jaden Henley, a 6-foot-7 guard, was playing his best basketball at the end of last year, scoring double-digit points in four of his last nine games, but he hit the transfer portal, too. Minnesota will need mid-major transfers Elijah Hawkins and Mike Mitchell to be ready for Big Ten basketball immediately. Hawkins was a two-time All-MEAC player at Howard, averaging 12.9 points on 46.6 percent 3-point shooting last year, and Mitchell averaged 11.4 points on 44 percent 3-point shooting at Pepperdine. Along with Hawkins and Mitchell, Cameron Christie will likely be forced into big minutes as a freshman. Minnesota's severe lack of Big Ten experience at any guard position is concerning, as Braeden Carrington, who averaged 5.4 points in 20 minutes per game off the bench as a sophomore last year, is Minnesota's most experienced returning guard.
Reasons for optimism
Minnesota's success will revolve around forward Dawson Garcia, who led the Gophers with 15.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season. At 6-foot-11, he's also a 35.4 percent 3-point shooter across his three-year career at Marquette, North Carolina and Minnesota. He'll have the freedom to look for his shot on nearly every possession after Minnesota lost its other main scoring options, Battle and Cooper. Sophomore Pharrel Payne will likely start alongside Garcia in the front court after a promising freshman season. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward averaged 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds on 69.3 percent shooting as a freshman, giving Minnesota a strong inside presence. Joshua Ola-Joseph, a 6-foot-7 forward, also had a nice freshman season, contributing 7.4 points in 24 starts, and Minnesota will need him and Payne to make big jumps as sophomores. Minnesota has a few talented pieces in the front court.
The bottom line
Minnesota didn't do much to improve a roster that went 9-22 overall and 2-17 in the Big Ten last season. Garcia would start for plenty of Big Ten teams, but outside of him, the talent just isn't there. Minnesota will need a pair of mid-major guard transfers and its sophomore class to make major strides in 2023-24. Entering coach Ben Johnson's third season, Minnesota is the favorite to finish last in the Big Ten again.
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