The joy inside the Minnesota locker room on Wednesday night came in two waves. The first was raw and emotional, the kind that only follows a long-awaited breakthrough. The second came seconds later, delivered with perfect timing and a sense of humor that showed just how badly the Gophers needed this moment.
After upsetting No. 10 Michigan State Spartans 76-73, the Minnesota Golden Gophers were waiting for head coach Niko Medved in the locker room. When Medved burst through the door screaming and celebrating, he was met with complete silence. No cheers. No jumping. Just blank stares.
It lasted only a beat.
Then the players pump-faked him. The entire room exploded at once, leaping into the air, screaming, and laughing as Medved realized he had been perfectly set up. The moment, shared by Big Ten Men’s Basketball with the caption “Gotcha, Coach,” instantly became one of the night’s most memorable scenes across college basketball.
Gotcha, Coach 🤣@GopherMBB prank Coach Medved after their upset win over MSU 🙌 pic.twitter.com/qTpKZJqcXK
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 5, 2026
A breakthrough win Minnesota badly needed
The prank was lighthearted, but the win itself was assive. Minnesota entered the night on a seven-game losing streak and sitting near the bottom of the Big Ten standings. Several of those losses were close and painful, games where the Gophers were tied or ahead in the final minute and still came up empty.
That changed against Michigan State.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds, setting the tone with his physical play inside. Cade Tyson added 17 points, while Langston Reynolds chipped in 14 points and eight assists as Minnesota controlled much of the game despite heavy pressure late.
Holding off the Spartans’ late surge
Michigan State did not go quietly. The Spartans outscored Minnesota 22-9 over the final four minutes, trimming what had been a comfortable lead into a tense finish. Coen Carr scored 10 of his 16 points during that stretch, and Trey Fort drilled a corner three with 20 seconds left to pull the Spartans within two.
With the noise in Williams Arena reaching a peak, Isaac Asuma calmly knocked down two free throws to seal the upset. When the final horn sounded, fans poured onto the court as Minnesota celebrated its first win over an AP top-10 team since January 2021.
Joy, relief, and a little laughter
For Medved and his players, the locker-room prank captured the full emotion of the night. Relief from the losing streak. Pride in finally finishing a close game. And joy that spilled over into laughter once the coach realized he had been had.
Minnesota now turns the page quickly, hosting Maryland next, while Michigan State heads home to face No. 5 Illinois. But for one night, the Gophers had a signature win, a stormed court, and a prank that perfectly matched the moment.