Big Ten Preview: What Oregon Basketball Will Face From Minnesota in 2026-27

Per Tyler:

Oregon’s men’s basketball team is slated to travel to Minnesota next season, though the exact date has yet to be announced. As the Ducks look ahead to their 2026-27 Big Ten slate, the Golden Gophers present an intriguing mix of returning production and fresh faces after a rocky first year under head coach Niko Medved.

Minnesota limped to a 15-18 overall record last season, finishing 8-12 in conference play and landing 11th in the Big Ten standings. It was Medved’s debut campaign in Minneapolis, and the roster turnover heading into this year suggests another transitional season could be on the horizon.

Losing Top Scorers, But Not Everyone​

The Gophers will be without their two leading scorers from a season ago. Cade Tyson, who averaged 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and Langston Reynolds, who put up 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest, have both exhausted their college eligibility.

Minnesota does retain its second- and fourth-leading scorers from last year, however. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds per game) and Isaac Asuma (10.9 points, 4 rebounds per game) give Medved a foundation to build around as he enters his second year at the helm.

New Faces to Watch​

Beyond the returning duo, three newcomers could shape Minnesota’s fortunes this season. Nolen Anderson, a 4-star recruit out of Plymouth, Minnesota, stands 6-foot-7 and brings athleticism and outside shooting that should earn him early minutes.

Winters Grady, a former top-100 recruit who spent his freshman season with reigning national champion Michigan, joins after appearing in just nine games for the Wolverines. Grady, who played his first two years of high school basketball at Lake Oswego, is known for his mid-range scoring in an era when that skill has become increasingly rare.

Kyan Evans arrives after a difficult stretch as a backup guard at North Carolina, where he averaged just 4 points on 32.8% shooting from the field across 33 games. Despite the modest numbers, there’s a case to be made that Evans could be a bounce-back candidate in a new system at Minnesota.

What It Means for Oregon​

With the Ducks set to visit Minneapolis at some point during Big Ten play, this rebuilding Gophers squad could be a winnable road game for Oregon on paper. Still, the combination of Crocker-Johnson’s production, Asuma’s steady scoring, and a talented freshman class means Minnesota won’t be a pushover, especially if the newcomers develop chemistry quickly under Medved.


Go Gophers!!

A talented freshman class might be a bit of a stretch. Other than that pretty vanilla overview. No mention of Kordel.

No mention of Bobby Buckets, dude was like 50 percent from three from late January and on

Reads like an AI lite article.

Exuding a little too much confidence for a team that lost to Ben Johnson and lost at home by 17, with our whole team injured.

Also no mention that the system isn't new to Evans.

Waiting for the lazy article comment…

Very random article, someone please bump after we beat Oregon