Report: Gophers add nonconference games with North Texas and Omaha

The games are expected to take place on Nov. 9 and 13.

Jan 28, 2024; Boca Raton, Florida, USA; North Texas Mean Green forward Robert Allen (10), guard John Buggs III (00), guard CJ Noland (22), forward Aaron Scott (1), and guard Jason Edwards (2) look on from the court against the Florida Atlantic Owls during the second half at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Gophers men's basketball team has added two more nonconference games to its schedule. According to @madeformarch on X, the team will host Omaha on Nov. 9 and North Texas on Nov. 13.

According to Made for March, Minnesota will pay Omaha $100,000 and North Texas $80,000 for the two games at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

North Texas has been one of the better mid-major programs in recent memory. It upset Purdue as a 13 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and played in the NIT every season since, winning the tournament in 2023. Omaha has not had the same success, as it's never played in the NCAA Tournament since making the move to Division I in 2011.

While no nonconference games have yet been made official, it seems as if Ben Johnson and the Gophers have made it a point of emphasis to improve their level of nonconference competition.

Reported nonconference schedule:

Date:	Opponent:	Location:
Nov. 6	Oral Roberts	Home
Nov. 9	Omaha	Home
Nov. 13	North Texas	Home
Nov. 16	Yale	Home
Nov. 19	Cleveland State	Home
Nov. 21	Fairleigh Dickinson	Home
TBA	Missouri	Away
Nov. 28	Wichita State, Florida or Wake Forest	Orlando, Fla.
Nov. 29	Wichita State, Florida or Wake Forest	Orlando, Fla.

Last season, Missouri was the Gophers' only nonconference opponent they faced that had won an NCAA Tournament game since 2011. This year, they could play as many as seven.

With nine games currently reported as being scheduled, they will likely add two more, as most teams typically play 11 nonconference games.