Tonight’s the night, folks! We finally get our first live look at this year’s Gophers squad when they open exhibition play against Omaha at The Barn, tipping off at 7 p.m. CT on BTN+. After that “secret scrimmage” against Drake last week, this is our first real chance to see how Coach Medved’s new puzzle pieces fit together before the regular season kicks off on November 2.
Who’s In and Who’s Starting: It’s All Up in the Air!
Let’s be real, the easiest thing to figure out from these preseason college hoops exhibitions is the rotation. And this year, man, it’s a whole new ballgame for the Gophers. They brought in five transfers and four incoming freshmen for the 2026-27 season. Niko Medved and his staff have got their work cut out for them, figuring out how to get everyone on the same page.
The chatter is that the starting five will likely be Isaac Asuma, Kyan Evans, Bobby Durkin, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, and Malick Kordel. But will there be any surprises? Do they throw a curveball and go small, maybe slotting Winters Grady or Malachi Palmer into the starting lineup? Who’s going to be the first guy off the bench when the real action starts? And hey, will any of those freshmen actually see the floor? So many questions, and tonight, we start getting some answers.
The Kordel Enigma and Wing Depth Decisions
Alright, let’s talk about the big man, literally. Malick Kordel, all 7-foot-2 of him, is the biggest question mark on this roster, for sure. He transferred to Minnesota after just one season at Michigan. Get this, he’s 22 years old, but his basketball experience is way more limited, only picking up the sport as a teenager in Germany. That makes him a true wild card in Minnesota’s system, and honestly, I’m stoked to see him in action in both exhibition games.
We’ve got a pretty good idea what we’ll get from Asuma, Evans, Durkin, and Crocker-Johnson. But Kordel? Is he going to be a 20-minute-per-game lob-catching big man, or is he a crucial piece of the system, logging 28 to 30 minutes? His role could totally change the dynamic. Speaking of dynamics, the wing pecking order is wide open, too. Asuma and Evans are locked in as the starting backcourt, and the bigs are Crocker-Johnson, Kordel, Grayson Grove, and freshman Chadrick Mpoyi. Beyond that? Pure speculation. Durkin looks like the best shooter and most experienced wing, and Grady from Michigan and Palmer from Villanova were huge transfer portal gets. But how big will their roles actually be? Can Nolan Groves or Kai Shinholster force their way into the rotation? And will true freshman Nolen Anderson even get a chance to show what he’s got? This team has way more depth than last season, which is awesome, but it means some tough decisions are coming for the coaching staff.
Then there’s the backup point guard situation. Evans and Asuma are clearly the top two options at guard. They’re both combo guards who can facilitate and play off-ball efficiently. I’m expecting big years from both of them, but what happens when they hit the bench? Is Minnesota ready to handle minutes with both of them off the floor? Is true freshman Cedric Tomes ready to step up as the backup point guard? Or will Shinholster get some experience handling the ball in a backup role? Tonight’s our first look at how they manage these crucial minutes.
The Gophers should have zero issues winning by a large margin against Omaha, who’s a solid Summit League program but would be a Quad 4 buy game in regular-season circumstances. The real test is coming next week on Friday, October 23, when the Gophers hit the road to wrap up preseason play against Creighton. That game’s at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the @gocreighton YouTube channel. After that, it’s go time on November 2 for the regular season opener. Let’s see what this new-look Gophers squad brings!
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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