Gophers outmuscled in first Big Ten matchup, falling to Michigan State

The good news for Minnesota was that Mike Mitchell Jr. was back on the court.

Minnesota guard Lu'Cye Patterson works around Michigan State forward Xavier Booker during the first half at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Dec. 4, 2024. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

From the jump, Michigan State was crashing the glass, running the floor in transition and scoring easy buckets.

It wasn't anything the Gophers men's basketball team wasn't expecting coming into its first Big Ten matchup, but the Spartans played to their strengths nonetheless in a 90-72 Gophers loss Wednesday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

"I think they just wore us down," Gophers coach Ben Johnson said. "... I think overall it was a good example of what happens when you have small breakdowns. If you have small breakdowns against good teams in conference play, you can get exposed. And I think some of our defensive breakdowns, really exposed, and you make one little mistake or you shortcut something, they make you pay."

The Spartans (7-3, 1-0 Big Ten) first made the Gophers (6-4, 0-1) pay on the glass. Minnesota was outrebounded 24-8 in the first half and 39-27 for the game. Michigan State pushed the ball after rebounding, scoring 27 fast-break points.

Minnesota scored just two points in transition.

"We knew going in they're a team that gets out and runs and play even fast sometimes on makes and misses," said Dawson Garcia, who scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. "It was just a failure on our end. We got to just accept it. Just continue to get better. It's tough sometimes. It's gonna suck for tonight and tomorrow and all that, but they got us in transition and it's just something that we gotta go into the game knowing that's what they do."

While statistically, the Gophers were outmatched in most categories by the Spartans, there was a bright spot: the return of Mike Mitchell Jr., who played 23 minutes off the bench in his first game back from an ankle sprain suffered Nov. 9 during a game against Omaha. Mitchell knocked down a 3-pointer during his first shift in the first half, which was just the start.

Mitchell sparked a run midway through the second half, hitting a trio of shots from downtown. He hit five 3s in all and finished with 17 points and two assists. He did, however, lament his defensive performance, saying he apologized to the team after the game for not being able to help out more. Johnson said Mitchell is still not 100% healthy and Johnson initially planned to play him fewer minutes — between 15 and 20 — as he continues to work his way back to form.

"He's a difference-maker in terms of being able to space the floor, and he provides offensive firepower," Johnson said of Mitchell. "And the guy that can obviously make shots and hopefully take some pressure off our offense. But he's still got to get into the sync of things and into the rhythm."

The defense didn't all fall on Mitchell, and the Spartans were uncharacteristically hot. The worst 3-point shooting team in the country coming into the game, Michigan State shot 50% from downtown (11 for 22) Wednesday night. They shot 53% from the field overall. Coen Carr scored a team-high 12 points. Jaxon Kohler had 11 points and 11 boards. Xavier Booker also scored 11. Jeremy Fears Jr. added 10. Minnesota native Tre Holloman had eight points and eight assists.