GOPHERS MEN'S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
Gameday preview: Gophers men's basketball vs. Central Michigan
Minnesota looks to bounce back Thursday after suffering its first loss of the season.
November 17, 2022 at 6:43AM
Thursday, 8 p.m. vs. Central Michigan • Big Ten Network, 1130-AM
Gophers update: The Gophers (2-1) saw their 16-game nonconference home winning streak end Monday in a 69-53 loss to DePaul, but it wasn't necessarily the defeat that was alarming. It was how it happened. They shot 27% in the first half to fall into a deep hole and gave up 20 offensive rebounds in the game. Dawson Garcia led the team with 19 points, but the Gophers went 13-for-23 from the foul line and shot 4-for-16 from three-point range. After a lengthy homestand to open the season ends Thursday, the Gophers play four consecutive games away from home starting Monday in the SoCal Challenge vs. Cal Baptist.
Central Michigan update: The Chippewas (1-1) tested themselves right away in their season opener with a 97-73 loss Nov. 10 at Marquette. So don't expect them to be intimidated coming into Williams Arena. Second-year coach Tony Barbee, a former Kentucky assistant, picked up his first win this season on Sunday by taking down Eastern Illinois 76-60. Barbee went 7-23 last season, but he returned four starters, including All-Mid-American Conference preseason guard Kevin Miller averaging a team-best 18 points this year.
Minnesota’s bench scored 50 points, including a team-leading 18 points from graduate transfer Annika Stewart, showcasing the depth that coach Dawn Plitzuweit promised.
