Concern after Gophers lose Frank Mitchell to injury in exhibition game

Mitchell was wearing a sling before the end of the night in Minneapolis.

Frank Mitchell (00) wearing a sling for his right arm during a team huddle in Minnesota's exhibition win over Hamline. / Photo by Kelly Hagenson, Minnesota Athletics

Gophers basketball fans are holding their breath after starting center Frank Mitchell suffered an apparent shoulder injury in the first half of Minnesota's 79-57 exhibition win over Division III Hamline Tuesday night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

Mitchell, the 6-foot-8 transfer from Canisius, dove for a loose ball about four minutes into the game and a Hamline player also scrambling for the ball landed on him. Mitchell left the court before returning to the bench with his shoulder wrapped in ice, and eventually placed in a sling.

It's unclear if Mitchell's injury is serious, though Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson called it "a little setback" during his postgame comments about the play.

"It makes me sick, I am going to be killing myself on that one 'cause I was yelling at him to do the right thing on a loose ball. It's unfortunate. He was playing really well, he was playing with a ton of energy, a ton of juice. He's done everything to get himself to this point and to have a little setback, you feel bad for him," Johnson said. "That part stings a little bit. But I think it talks about what this team is about. Playing the right way at all times and that was just an instinctive play by him."

Coach Johnson talks about the injury to Frank Mitchell and how other people had to step up tonight.

Johnson was kicking himself about the injury but didn’t know more details at this time. #Gophers pic.twitter.com/Zg3uiJEmwU

— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) October 30, 2024

Without Mitchell, the Gophers leaned on fellow transfer big man Trey Edmonds, who finished with nine points and seven rebounds.

"Once Trey kind of gathered himself a little bit I thought he played pretty good. Defensively he was really good," Johnson said. "Now it's time for him to step up."

The Gophers open the regular season Nov. 6 at home against Oral Roberts.