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Minnesota Basketball: 4 takeaways from 1st month of 2023-24 regular season

By Tommy McGowan

Feb 20, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Ben Johnson reacts during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Ben Johnson reacts during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Will another shot creator emerge alongside Dawson Garcia?

While Dawson Garcia has carried the Gopher offense so far in 2023-24, a consistent No. 2 option has yet to emerge. Freshman Cam Christie is second on the team in points, with sophomores Joshua Ola-Joseph and Pharrel Payne, but the latter two have both seen their minutes decrease from last year’s totals. It seems as though Johnson is still mixing and matching with which units will have the best chance of success.

A healthy Isaiah Ihnen looks like he could be a potential option to slide into that No. 2 role, as the veteran is able to blend an impressive three-point shooting ability with a long, athletic frame. But, he is still working his way back from two straight season-ending knee injuries, and there’s been some understandable rust holding him back. His performance in the UTSA win was very encouraging, as he dropped 20 points on 5-5 three-point shooting, but he’s gone ice cold since.

Hawkins and Mitchell will also be leaned on heavily on offense all season, but both are still acclimating to the offense and will need to adjust to the speed of Big Ten play. Whether or not they’re ready to take such a major leap forward remains to be seen.

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