Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved said he doesn’t have to educate his team too much about the importance of the Wisconsin rivalry, but he did emphasize one sour stat.
The Badgers have won nine straight games against Minnesota since 2020. The Gophers will be a home underdog as they look to keep the skid from reaching double digits at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Williams Arena.
“(When players) come to Minnesota and you learn pretty quickly what the rivalry means with Wisconsin; I think it’s something they understand,” Medved said. “You kind of saw that against Iowa the other night, but this one kind of takes on a new life of its own.”
Usually new coaches don’t attach themselves to negative stats carrying over from previous staffs, but Medved is leaning into this one. He has made the players “keenly aware” of it.
“Coach Medved all let us know (on Sunday that) it’s time,” sophomore guard Isaac Asuma said. “We’re here, and we got to show out for it.”
The Gophers’ 13 new players got their first experience in the U’s two primary rivalries in the 70-67 home win over then-19th-ranked Iowa last Tuesday.
New guard Langston Reynolds asked Asuma how big the Badgers rivalry is to the Gophers. Asuma is the best teammate to ask since he’s a Minnesotan who played in the rivalry games last season.
“This is huge,” Asuma said he relayed to Reynolds. “We might sell out (Tuesday). It’s going to be a tough game no matter how teams are in the year.”
The influx of Iowa fans at The Barn last week raised the game’s “intensity,” Asuma said, and plenty of Badgers fans are expected to be in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Wisconsin (11-5, 3-2 Big Ten) is coming off one of the most impressive wins nationwide this season, knocking off then second-ranked Michigan 91-88 in Ann Arbor on Saturday.
Minnesota (10-6, 3-2) is coming off a 70-69 overtime home loss to Southern California on Friday. That snapped a five-game winning streak, but the U has since turned its attention to the Badgers’ run in the rivalry.
Briefly
Medved said Monday on his KFXN-FM coaches show that there has been communication with the Big Ten’s coordinator of men’s basketball officials Terry Oglesby over some questionable calls in the USC loss Friday. …. The Badgers received 37 votes for the Associated Press top 25 after their win over the Wolverines. That fell a few spots outside the poll.
Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) shoots over Minnesota forward Parker Fox, back center, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
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