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Minnesota Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Golden Gophers

By Austin Walther

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 20: Head coach Richard Pitino of the Minnesota Golden Gophers looks on against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half during their game at Madison Square Garden on January 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 20: Head coach Richard Pitino of the Minnesota Golden Gophers looks on against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half during their game at Madison Square Garden on January 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Richard Pintino of the Minnesota Golden Gophers reacts to a call during the first half of the game against the USC Upstate Spartans on November 10, 2017 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Richard Pintino of the Minnesota Golden Gophers reacts to a call during the first half of the game against the USC Upstate Spartans on November 10, 2017 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Top non-conference games for Minnesota

11/12/18 vs. Utah

11/18/18 vs. Texas A&M (Vancouver Showcase)

11/20/18 vs. Washington/Santa Clara (Vancouver Showcase)

11/26/18 at Boston College (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) 

11/30/18 vs. Oklahoma State

It isn’t the best non-conference schedule. They could certainly have it worse, but those are all the power conference teams they will play before the new year.

Minnesota doesn’t have a matchup in the Gavitt tipoff games. Their second game of the season will come against Utah. The Utes just missed the Tournament a year ago. They lost their top-two leading scorers and have two lower-end four-star recruits coming in. It could be the first decent win for the Gophers.

Texas A&M is in the same boat. Except for the fact that the Aggies made it to the sweet 16 a year ago after all their talented players finally got healthy. All those talented players though left. Their second leading scorer returns, but they don’t have much coming in. Minnesota picks up another solid win.

Let’s bank on the fact that the Huskies beat Santa Clara in the Vancouver Showcase. Washington was 17-6 last season after beating Arizona State and Arizona in consecutive games. They went 4-7 from then and missed the Tournament. The Huskies are returning everyone, including four guys in double-figures. Washington will be sneaky good this year and this could be the Gophers first lost.

Boston College sure kept us entertained last season in the ACC Tournament. The Eagles would be a favorite to make the Tournament if only Jerome Robinson stayed. This could be the most exciting season for the Boston College men’s basketball program in recent memory. They’re still returning a guy who averaged over 17 per game and another at 12.

Remember this game between Minnesota and Boston College. You’ll want to watch. It’ll be a matchup of two possible bubble teams once the season is over. This game has more implications than just a random non-conference game in November that isn’t part of a Tournament.

Minnesota wraps up its notable non-conference opponents with Oklahoma State at the end of November. The Cowboys had the most debated resume among bubble teams last season. They lost 15 games, finished under .500 in conference, but still had a chance at getting in. Oklahoma State failed to, lost three of their top leading scorers and doesn’t have much of a recruiting class. This is certainly a winnable game for Minnesota right before they play two Big Ten games to start December.

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