Minnesota Basketball: 2021-22 season preview for Golden Gophers
Starting lineup
PG Luke Loewe, Senior
Luke Loewe comes to Minnesota as a transfer by way of William & Mary, where he was a star. He started every game over the last three seasons, averaging 16.2 points per game as a senior. Loewe also led the CAA in assist-to-turnover ratio and led the conference in three-point shooting as a junior, when he hit 43.9 percent of his attempts. He wasn’t nearly as good from beyond the arc last season, which he’ll need to improve upon in Minnesota.
SG Payton Willis, Senior
Payton Willis is another transfer, coming over from yet another CAA club, the College of Charleston. Minnesota will mark Willis’ fourth collegiate stop, with one of the three previous programs being the very same Minnesota Golden Gophers he now returns to. Willis averaged 13.4 points per game last season, hitting 40 percent of his three-pointers. He should bring some scoring punch to the backcourt, as well as a vast array of experience from his five seasons in college basketball.
SF E.J. Stephens, Senior
Another transfer? You bet. E.J. Stephens makes his way over from Lafayette, where he finished in the top ten in Patriot League scoring last year with 16.4 points per game, hitting 90.4 percent of his free throws. He was also in the top ten in assists (2.5 per game), steals (1.5 per game), and assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s better suited as a shooting guard, but he may play up as the Gophers struggle for depth at small forward, especially as Johnson tries to get his best players on the court.
PF Jamison Battle, Sophomore
Stop if you’ve heard this before – Jamison Battle is a transfer. He last played at George Washington, where he started all but two games he played in for the Colonials. He was an All-A10 Third Team selection last year, averaging 17.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He also hit 35.4 percent of his three-point attempts. Battle played high school ball at DeLaSalle and is from Robbinsdale, so the Minnesota native might be here to stay – unlike the previous starters listed, he has eligibility left after this season.
C Eric Curry, Senior
A returning player! Eric Curry is coming back for his last season of collegiate basketball. He has struggled with injuries during his career, including a torn ACL and MCL in the 2017 offseason. He missed more time in 2018-19 before missing the entire 2019-20 season. Finally healthy last year, Curry averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. More than anything, he’ll provide continuity to a program lacking it entering the year.