The Gophers men’s basketball team gained two players and lost one via the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday, but beside simple math, it’s hard to see how the U roster got better this week or over the past six weeks.

Shooting guard Cam Christie, member of the all-Big Ten freshman team a year ago, entered the portal on the final day of the window, while guards Caleb Williams (Macalester) and Femi Odukale (New Mexico State) committed to Minnesota.

Christie stated three weeks ago he would explore the NBA draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, so he had already stepped one foot out the door. His exit might have been inevitable at that point, but Wednesday’s news eliminates nearly all hope of a potential return for a high-scoring sophomore season.

Christie wasn’t the only player to change his mind. Starting point guard Elijah Hawkins reversed course in April, entering the portal after saying he would return for next season. He committed to Texas Tech this week.

With center Pharrel Payne entering the portal in late March and committing to Texas A&M in April, the Gophers have lost 60 percent of last year’s starting lineup. The opportunity to make more money via name, image and likeness (NIL) deals was believed to be in play for Hawkins and Payne.

The Gophers’ all-Big Ten forward Dawson Garcia and starting guard Mike Mitchell will return for their senior seasons.

With that top-end turnover, national media outlets have put together articles on transfer portal’s “winners and losers,” with the Gophers mentioned on the short end of the stick.

The Gophers’ bench got a boost with sixth man Parker Fox coming back for a seventh collegiate season. Young forward Kayden Betts is also returning, but reserves Josh Ola-Joseph, Braeden Carrington, Isaiah Ihnen and Kris Keinys each entered the portal.

None of those exits move the needle back a ton. Ola-Joseph signed with California and Ihnen with Liberty, while the other two have not yet found new homes.

The biggest (and potentially best) portal addition is Frank Mitchell, a 6-foot-8 forward from Canisius. He was a monster rebounder at the mid-major level a year ago.

“He does a phenomenal job in the paint and has a great feel for the game,” Gophers head coach Ben Johnson said in a statement. “His ability, both offensively and defensively, translates to winning. Frank was one of the best rebounders in the country last season and can easily go and get a double-double. He has the will, the fight and the competitive motor we were looking for in a player. “

The next-best addition appears to be Brennan Rigsby, a 6-foot-4 guard from Oregon. “I love that he can shoot and score, makes great decisions with the ball, and has good size,” Johnson shared.

The U will bring in two freshmen, guard Isaac Asuma, a Cherry, Minn., native who could see an increased role with Hawkins gone, and forward Grayson Grove from Alexandria, Minn.

The Gophers still have three open scholarships, and while the portal closed to new entries on Wednesday, players picking new schools can take their time to find new homes.

Minnesota will do what it can to improve before next season starts, but it has been a rough stretch since Michigan State coach Tom Izzo projected on March 14 that the U could be a top team in the Big Ten next season — if the Gophers kept the roster intact.

Projected Gophers roster for 2024-25 season

Starters

F — Dawson Garcia*

F — Frank Mitchell

F — Parker Fox*

G — Mike Mitchell Jr.*

G — Brennan Rigsby

Bench

G — Isaac Asuma

F — Femi Odukale

F — Kayden Betts*

G — Caleb Williams

F — Grayson Grove

* — returning player

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Gophers fill glaring need at receiver with four-star Georgia transfer Tyler Williams

The Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners of Washington County will host their annual plant sale and garden expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 18.

Home gardeners can buy a wide variety of plants, as well as nature and garden-themed crafts, and have gardening questions answered at the free diagnostic clinic. The event will be inside Building A at the Washington County Fairgrounds, located at
County Highway 5 and Manning Avenue in Lake Elmo.

Those attending can bring a wagon for shopping. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.

The event will feature annuals and perennials, Minnesota Seed Trial winners, native and prairie plants, monarch and pollinator plants, grasses, shade plants, both heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, herbs, vegetables, and other varieties. Master
Gardener volunteers also will be available to offer advice on plant selection.

The public is encouraged to bring in plant or insect samples to the diagnostic clinic for analysis and recommendations. The Garden Expo features education by specially trained tree care advisors, planting for pollinators as well as other gardening
topics.

The Garden Market area’s nature and garden-themed crafts will include gift items, trellises, bird and bee houses and feeders, art, tools, gloves and other gardening implements.

Proceeds will be used to support Washington County Master Gardener educational activities. Participants in the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program are trained volunteers who are interested in horticulture and community service. Their mission is to educate the public on best practices in horticulture and environmental stewardship.

For more information visit: washingtoncountymg.org.

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By MATT OTT (AP Business Writer)

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week and remains historically low as the labor market continues to show resiliency in the face of high interest rates and elevated inflation.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that unemployment claims for the week ending April 27 was 208,000, the same as the previous week. That’s the fewest since mid-February.

The four-week average of claims, which softens some of the weekly volatility, fell by 3,500 to 210,000.

Weekly unemployment claims are considered a proxy for the number of U.S. layoffs in a given week and a sign of where the job market is headed. They have remained at historically low levels since the pandemic purge of millions of jobs in the spring of 2020.

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark borrowing rate 11 times beginning in March of 2022 in a bid to stifle the four-decade high inflation that took hold after the economy rebounded from the COVID-19 recession of 2020. The Fed’s intention was to loosen the labor market and cool wage growth, which it said contributed to persistently high inflation.

Many economists thought there was a chance the rapid rate hikes could cause a recession, but jobs have remained plentiful and the economy forged on thanks to strong spending by U.S. consumers.

Last month, U.S. employers added a surprising 303,000 jobs, yet another example of the U.S. economy’s resilience in the face of high interest rates. The unemployment rate dipped from 3.9% to 3.8% and has now remained below 4% for 26 straight months, the longest such streak since the 1960s.

There are signs that the labor market may be softening. Earlier this week, the government reported 8.5 million job openings, the lowest number of vacancies in three years.

Though layoffs remain at low levels, companies have been announcing more job cuts recently, mostly across technology and media. Google parent company Alphabet, Apple and eBay have all recently announced layoffs.

Outside of tech and media, Peloton also has recently cut jobs.

In total, 1.77 million Americans were collecting jobless benefits during the week that ended April 20. That’s also the same as the previous week.