Niko Medved 'open' to Gophers facing St. Thomas in crosstown rivalry

Minnesota has never faced St. Thomas since it became a Division I program.

Dec 14, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Thomas (MN) Tommies head coach Johnny Tauer high fives guard Chase Ross (2) during the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Ever since St. Thomas made the unprecedented jump from Division III to Division I in 2021, people have asked when will Minnesota men's basketball face them. Based on new head coach Niko Medved's comments at his introductory press conference, it sounds more likely now than ever.

"I have tried to get St. Thomas to play us, but they don't want anything to do with us. That's a joke, everybody," Medved said sarcastically. "I talked to Johnny (Tauer), and I am begging him to play, and he doesn't even want to play."

Every good rivalry needs friendly smack talk, and Medved's comments are exactly that. The Gophers had the only Division I program in Minnesota for more than 100 years, so facing St. Thomas would be a risky move, but he seems seriously interested.

"I am open to that, for sure. I am open to doing that," Medved said seriously. "[Johnny Tauer] does a great job. My brother went to St. Thomas. I think it's really cool to see them doing what they're doing. I think that's awesome. I think it's awesome for basketball in the state of Minnesota. I am a competitive guy, I think it would be fun."

St. Thomas is coming off their second straight 20-win season, and they made it all the way to the Summit League tournament championship game before losing to Omaha. 2025-26 will be their first season eligible for the NCAA Tournament, and it's clear Tauer has already turned the Tommies into one of the best programs in their conference.

"I know if you play St. Thomas, you better buckle up because they're really good," Medved continued. "I could see that happening at some point. Can I promise it's going to be next year? No. But, I could see that happening."

The Tommies are entering a new era of basketball themselves, as they're set to open a brand new arena next season. It's obvious that they will be a legitimate player in mid-major college basketball going forward, and Medved doesn't seem intimidated.

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