Meet the Opponent: Minnesota Aims For 10th Big Ten Win For First Time Since 2017

Minnesota has been the Big Ten's most improved team this season, going from a last-place finish and just nine wins all of last season to 18 wins this year and a chance to finish in the upper half of the Big Ten. Here's a full breakdown of the Golden Gophers, Indiana's Wednesday opponent.

Jack Ankony | Mar 4, 2024

Meet the Opponent: Minnesota Aims For 10th Big Ten Win For First Time Since 2017 /

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Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana will go for the season sweep against Minnesota on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in Minneapolis.

The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Gophers 74-62 on Jan. 12 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall behind a balanced scoring effort. Mackenzie Mgbako led the way with 19 points, while Kel'el Ware, Malik Reneau, Trey Galloway and Anthony Walker scored at least nine points each. Minnesota entered that matchup on a seven-game win streak but shot just 3-for-20 on 3-point attempts and 38.9% from the field.

Following that matchup, Indiana has had a 4-8 record and Minnesota has gone 6-7, causing both teams to fall out of the NCAA Tournament picture. With three wins separating fifth and 13th place in the conference, the loser of Wednesday's matchup is at risk of playing on Wednesday of the Big Ten Tournament.

Here's a full breakdown of Minnesota.

Key returners

(2023-24 stats)

F Dawson Garcia: 17.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 31.6 3-pt FG%
F Pharrel Payne: 10.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 61.3 FG%
F Joshua Ola-Joseph: 7.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 60.9 FG%
G Braeden Carrington: 5.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 22.4 3-pt FG%
F Parker Fox: 4.4 ppg, 3.0ppg, 66.3 FG%
F Isaiah Ihnen: 3.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 35.8 3-pt FG%

Key departures

(2022-23 stats)

F Jamison Battle: 12.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 31.1 3-pt FG%
G Ta'Lon Cooper: 9.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, 37.8 3-pt FG%
G Jaden Henley: 5.3 ppg, 37.8 3-pt FG%

Key newcomers

(2023-24 stats)

G Cam Christie (No. 135 freshman): 11.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 42.2 3-pt FG%
G Mike Mitchell Jr. (Pepperdine): 10.6 ppg, 2.7 apg, 40.0 3-pt FG%
G Elijah Hawkins (Howard): 9.5 ppg, 7.5 apg, 36.4 3-pt FG%

Schedule (18-11, 9-9 in Big Ten)

W, 80-60 vs. Bethune-Cookman
W, 102-76 vs. UTSA
L, 70-68 vs. Missouri
W, 67-53 vs. SC Upstate
W, 86-67 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
L, 76-58 at San Francisco
W, 97-64 vs. New Orleans
L, 84-74 at Ohio State
W, 76-65 vs. Nebraska
W, 77-57 vs. Florida Gulf Coast
W, 101-65 vs. IUPUI
W, 80-63 vs. Ball State
W, 80-62 vs. Maine
W, 73-71 at Michigan
W, 65-62 vs. Maryland
L, 74-62 at Indiana
L, 86-77 vs. Iowa
L, 76-66 at Michigan State
L, 61-59 vs. Wisconsin
W, 83-74 at Penn State
W, 75-66 (OT) vs. Northwestern
W, 59-56 vs. Michigan State
L, 90-85 at Iowa
L, 84-76 at Purdue
W, 81-70 vs. Rutgers
W, 88-79 vs. Ohio State
L, 73-55 at Nebraska
L, 105-97 at Illinois
W, 75-70 vs. Penn State

Mike Woodson's history against Minnesota

W, 74-62 vs. Minnesota on Jan. 12, 2024
W, 61-57 at Minnesota on Jan. 25, 2023
W, 84-79 at Minnesota on Feb. 27, 2022
W, 73-60 vs. Minnesota on Jan. 9, 2022

Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Cam Christie (24) dribbles the ball while Indiana Hoosiers guard Xavier Johnson (0) defends in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. — Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Cam Christie (24) dribbles the ball while Indiana Hoosiers guard Xavier Johnson (0) defends in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Strengths

The addition of guards Cam Christie, Mike Mitchell Jr. and Elijah Hawkins has helped Minnesota go from the Big Ten's lowest-scoring offense last season to fourth-most this year, a 13.7 point per game increase. In coach Ben Johnson's third season, the Golden Gophers rank 49th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. Hawkins, a transfer from Howard, leads the Big Ten with 7.5 assists per game, and he's fourth among conference point guards in assist-to-turnover ratio. As a result, Minnesota ranks third nationally in assist rate. Christie, a freshman, and Mitchell, a Pepperdine transfer, have each hit 62 3-pointers this season, putting them in the top six in the Big Ten while shooting at least 40%. As a team, Minnesota ranks 56th nationally in 3-point percentage, 36.3. Forward Dawson Garcia is having another impressive season (17.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 31.6 3-pt FG%), but adding talented guards around him has helped Minnesota already double its win total from last year.

Weaknesses

Defense has been the softer side for Minnesota this season. In three of its last four losses, the Gophers allowed 105 points to Illinois, 84 to Purdue and 90 to Iowa. Rebounding was an issue in those four losses, too, as Minnesota lost the rebounding margin by an average of nine per game. For the season, Minnesota ranks 104th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, and 248th in opponent 3-point percentage, 34.8. Rutgers and Indiana are the only Big Ten teams with a worse free throw percentage than Minnesota at 69.7, which ranks 272nd nationally.

Season outlook

Minnesota was picked last in the preseason Big Ten media poll, but Michigan's 8-22 season has ensured that won't happen. Still, the Golden Gophers are within two wins and two losses of the current third and 13th place teams in a jumbled conference. While it's unlikely Minnesota makes the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, the Gophers have already doubled their win total from last season and could reach 20 wins for the first time since 2019. With one more conference win, Minnesota will have 10 Big Ten wins for the second time in the last 19 seasons. After going below .500 in coach Ben Johnson's first two seasons, this year was a definite step in the right direction for Minnesota.