5 takeaways from the Gophers' first-round Big Ten Tournament loss to Northwestern

Minnesota's magical Cinderella run is over before it started.

Mar 12, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Brennan Rigsby (24) celebrates a made basket in the first half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Gophers had one last chance to earn their right to keep playing basketball on Wednesday's Big Ten Tournament first-round game against Northwestern, but the Wildcats looked like the team with more urgency, knocking Minnesota out 72-64. There is plenty to take away from another disappointing performance.

Stubborn substitution patterns

It was obvious that Lu'Cye Patterson, Isaac Asuma, Brennan Rigsby, Dawson Garcia and Frank Mitchell was the Gophers' best lineup on Wednesday and really for the last month of the season. Ben Johnson's refusal to take Mike Mitchell Jr. or Parker Fox out of the starting lineup limited this team's ceiling, and it was a big reason why Northwestern was able to build such a big second-half lead.

Asuma's bright future

The Gophers coughed up seven turnovers in the first half, but Asuma was the only player on the team without one. His eight points and three rebounds from Wednesday don't jump off the page, but it was another game where he did the small things at such a high level. With a starting role next season, he could be in line for a huge improvement in production.

Nick Martinelli

Northwestern's Martinelli led the Big Ten in scoring this season at 20.2 per game, but he was named second-team All-Big Ten. Wednesday's game was another reason why that was a ridiculous decision. He was playing at a near All-American level with 28 points, seven rebounds, and three assists and he was a big reason why Northwestern advanced to Thursday's second round.

Mike Mitchell Jr. dilemma

When Mitchell opted to return to the Gophers last off-season, it was a huge boost for their 2024-25 season outlook. He was projected to be one of the best shooters in the country, and it looked like he was performing at the level to begin the season. Fast-forward to the present day, he entered Wednesday's game being held scoreless in three of his last four. A late-flurry helped him finish with 11 points, but it was too little too late, as his continued disappearance to start the game was a big reason why Minnesota was in a big hole to begin with.

Does that game change anything?

ESPN's Jeff Borzello reported on Wednesday morning that it is "likely" that Johnson will return for a fifth season. Any smart decision makers wouldn't hinge a decision as big as a coaching change on the outcome of a first-round Big Ten Tournament game, but a performance like that doesn't boost anyone's confidence.

It will now be a waiting game to see how accurate Borzello was or whether or not Minnesota opts to make a coaching change. No matter what the decision is, it will be a pivotal offseason for Gophers basketball.

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