The Gophers men’s basketball team went into double-overtime Friday night in Omaha, losing a heartbreaker 89-86 to Creighton in their final exhibition game. It didn’t count in the record books, but man, what a ride, and what an eye-opener for the season ahead.
Asuma’s Shocking Career Night Has To Be A Sign
Seriously, Isaac Asuma was absolutely on fire. His 32 points were a college career high, even though it was just an exhibition. Think about that: he hasn’t even broken the 20-point mark in a regular-season game, so dropping 32 on 11-for-22 shooting from the field, 4-for-9 from deep, and 6-for-7 from the line was a massive statement. He even chipped in five boards and two assists in a whopping 42 minutes. The most insane part? Thirty of his 32 points came in the second half and overtime. That’s clutch, right? This kid just proved he can take over a game when it matters most, and that’s exactly the kind of momentum the Gophers need him to carry into the regular season.
Backcourt Battle: Injuries and Unexpected Heroes
While Asuma was lighting it up, the Gophers backcourt also dealt with some real drama. Kyan Evans was limited to just 13 minutes because of a hip injury. The team said it was precautionary, and they don’t expect it to be serious, but any injury at this stage is a worry. When Evans went out, second-year guard Kai Shinholster stepped up big time to fill that role. He had one of his best games in a Gophers uniform, putting up 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting and grabbing an incredible 11 rebounds. Eleven boards from a guard? That’s huge! It’s clear Shinholster is going to be a key piece of the Gophers’ rotation this season. And speaking of big rebounding from the backcourt, Texas Tech transfer Nolan Groves also hauled in eight rebounds. That kind of backcourt presence on the glass is going to be an interesting dynamic all year. Shinholster also picked up a minor injury in the game, but with just over a week until the season opener, everyone should have time to heal up.
The Gophers have just over a week to get their bodies right and fine-tune things. Their regular-season opener is November 2 against North Dakota. After a double-overtime thriller like this, with a star emerging and some injury concerns, you gotta wonder how this squad is going to come out firing when it actually counts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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