Ben Johnson calls out Gophers after woeful start to Big Ten season

Indiana thumped the Gophers and head coach Ben Johnson wound up criticizing player habits.

Dec 9, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Bryson Tucker (8) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

After getting throttled by Michigan State and Indiana to start 0-2 in the Big Ten, Golden Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson's message is loud and clear: Minnesota isn't meeting the winning standard.

"This league is unforgiving. Indiana was projected to be second in the league, Michigan State was projected I think fifth. It's unforgiving and you have to rise to the level of competition," Johnson said after Minnesota lost 82-67 at Assembly Hall Monday night.

"Those guys need to understand there's a certain standard. But there's winning habits that you have to have and you have to do that every single day, and you have to build that every single day if you want to have any chance to win games."

At 6-5, the Gophers are meeting the low expectations of the outside world. Internally, Minnesota likely believed it could compete on a nightly basis, but the preseason media poll projected the Gophers to finish dead last in the 18-team conference.

Dawson Garcia, who scored 22 points against the Hoosiers, revealed to Marcus Fuller of the Star Tribune that Johnson was "calling people out" after the loss "and everybody in that locker room got held accountable."

“It’s embarrassing, and everybody has to feel that,” Garcia told Fuller. “[Johnson] was just saying, if you’re going home tonight not taking that loss personally, then you’re just a loser at the end of the day.”

The Gophers started the game 11-of-15 shooting and led 22-20 before crumbling. They made just 15 of 40 shots to finish the game (37.5%) and were thoroughly worked in transition and on the glass, getting out-rebounded by Indiana 35-22.

Minnesota can marinate in Johnson's criticism for 10 days before hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Dec. 21.