There’s no sugarcoating how brutal of a winter it was for Minnesota Basketball in 2022-23. The Gophers slogged through a horrendous 9-22 campaign, including a 2-17 mark in the Big Ten.
The end of the season did provide much-needed excitement and a hope that brighter days were ahead in 2023-2024. The Gophers shocked Rutgers on a buzzer-beating three-pointer before giving arch-rival Wisconsin all they could handle on Senior Night, coming up just short. Add in a Big Ten Tournament win, and there seemed to be some momentum as Ben Johnson and staff looked ahead towards the offseason.
The good vibes from the conclusion of the season were quickly dampened by the early offseason, which saw several Gophers enter the portal. Included in those departures was star Jamison Battle, who led the team in scoring in 2021-22 but suffered through a frustrating ’22-’23. Also on the move was lead guard Ta’lon Cooper, who has since pledged to South Carolina, and a pair of youngsters, Jaden Henley and Treyton Thompson. Henley, an electrifying but inconsistent wing, will stay in the Midwest and play at DePaul, while Thompson, who saw his role diminish after making several starts to begin the season, is headed to Stetson.
Johnson and the Gophers have been active in the portal and already landed a big name in Pepperdine’s Mike Mitchell Jr., but there’s plenty of work to be done if Minnesota wants to climb out of the Big Ten cellar and compete for a postseason berth. There’s talent on this roster, but cultivating and maximizing it within one of the deepest conferences in college basketball presents a stiff challenge.