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

Braeden Carrington looks to be the team’s X-factor in 2023-24

To the casual observer, sophomore Braeden Carrington’s numbers to begin the year don’t look altogether impressive. Despite playing nearly 27 minutes per game, he’s averaging just six points per game. But, the thing about Carrington is that his value goes far beyond what shows up on the stat sheet. He’s not only an elite rebounder for his position (5.3 per game) but is an incredibly active defender, regularly getting into passing lanes and forcing difficult shots.

Now, if only his offense could come around. It’s been very surprising to see a player who gained a reputation for his smooth shooting stroke while playing Minnesota high school basketball struggle so much in the collegiate ranks. He’s shooting just 38% from the field and a lowly 15% from three-point territory, and turnovers have been a problem.

Carrington still has smooth mechanics and he’s able to get open – the shots just haven’t been dropping. I believe it will come around eventually, and if so, the Gophers could have the type of  two-way threat that they’ve been missing far too often. And even if not, Carrington’s defensive and rebounding prowess will be crucial for this team, especially when he plays alongside Hawkins, an undersized guard by Big Ten standards.