March Madness could have a big impact on the Gophers' coaching search

The NCAA Tournament could impact the timing of when Minnesota hires a new head coach.

Feb 8, 2025; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Colorado State Rams head coach Niko Medved reacts in the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Moby Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Gophers will not be in this year's NCAA Tournament, but their next head coach could be. A "frontrunner" for the job, Niko Medved earned a 12-seed in the West region and his Colorado State Rams will be playing 5-seed Memphis on Friday afternoon in Seattle, Washington.

While Medved was leading his team to their 10th straight win and a Mountain West tournament title over the weekend, many reports indicated that he continues to emerge as a top candidate for Minnesota's vacancy, but his team is still playing.

Related: Report: Niko Medved has emerged as 'frontrunner' to be Gophers' next coach

The Rams will take on Memphis at 1 p.m. CT on Friday afternoon. The Tigers won the American Athletic Conference (AAC) regular season and tournament title, but third leading scorer Tyrese Hunter (13.7 PPG) missed the championship game with a foot injury.

Colorado State's NCAA Tournament draw / Picture via: NCAA.com

The questions surrounding Hunter's status along with Colorado State being one of the hottest teams in the country has resulted in the Rams being 2.5-point betting favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The 12-5 upset is one of the most trendy picks in the tournament, but it might not even be an upset if the Rams take down Memphis.

If Colorado State advances past the Tigers, it will play the winner of Maryland and Grand Canyon on Sunday in Seattle. If Medved is in fact the guy, the Gophers might have to more than a week until the Sweet 16 to officially announce it, but if the Rams trip up, we could have an answer by the end of the weekend. Assuming anything about college basketball in March isn't a good strategy, but Minnesota fans should have a close eye on Seattle this weekend.

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