Four takeaways from Gophers men's basketball exhibition win vs. St. Olaf

Ben Johnson didn't seem overly concerned that the Gophers were trailing for most of the first half in Wednesday's 71-55 win against Division III St. Olaf.

And it wasn't just that this was only an exhibition game, not Monday's season opener vs. Western Michigan.

The fact that he has so much to show the freshmen — good and bad — with all of the minutes they played before anything counts is invaluable in his mind.

The Oles, coached by former Gophers assistant Dan "Koz" Kosmoski, were a veteran-led, disciplined team that challenged the U's younger roster defensively.

"They run their stuff well, and we needed that," Johnson said about St. Olaf. "We need a team that was going to challenge us with different stuff defensively to test kind of what we've been working on for the last couple months."

Here are four takeaways from Wednesday's exhibition victory at the Barn:

Getting healthy

The first half Wednesday was supposed to be the first glimpse at North Carolina transfer Dawson Garcia, but instead he was in street clothes resting a muscle strain on the bench.

Garcia could've played if it were a regular season game, Johnson said. The Gophers already know what they've got with the 6-11 Prior Lake product. Word is Garcia scored 22 points in the closed scrimmage against Colorado State.

Leading returning scorer and rebounder Jamison Battle will miss Monday's opener to recover from foot surgery, so Garcia's quick return healthy is crucial.

Another key piece that the Gophers hope to have back Monday is freshman Braeden Carrington, who missed the exhibition with an ankle injury. Carrington, a Park Center standout, is a three-point threat and a candidate to start in the backcourt.

Freshmen talent

The Gophers will need to rely on freshmen production this season, so the experience they got playing extended minutes Wednesday could benefit the team down the road.

Joshua Ola-Joseph, Pharrel Payne, Jaden Henley, and Kadyn Betts combined for 43 points and 14 rebounds against St. Olaf. Payne and Henley were in the starting lineup with injuries to Battle and Garcia.

How much playing time all of them will get during the regular season is uncertain. Henley and Payne combined for eight turnovers but showed glimpses of their potential with size and athleticism. Ola-Joseph was the biggest surprise, adding energy and toughness. Betts is a redshirt candidate, but he took advantage of his time with six points in 19 minutes.

Jumping Ola-Joseph

No Gophers player had a better plus-minus (plus-15) against St. Olaf than Ola-Joseph, who had a game-high 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting, six rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes.

The 6-7 former Osseo standout came off the bench and changed the momentum of the game after the Gophers trailed 13-6 in the first half Wednesday.

The Gophers trailed 19-16 midway through the first half, but Ola-Joseph scored nine of his 12 first half points during a 15-7 run.

At 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, Ola-Joseph's frame and explosive leaping ability resemble former Gophers forward Jordan Murphy as a young player. He and Payne also played well in last month's Colorado State scrimmage.

Captain's second half surge

The frustration for junior point guard Ta'Lon Cooper was clear when he went scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting in the first half, but he wasn't about to let that sink his confidence.

Cooper came out firing in the second half. The Morehead State transfer scored all of his 13 points on 3-for-4 shooting from three-point range and 4-for-6 free throws in 14 1/2 minutes.

"It happens with the first game," Cooper said. "Everybody on the team kept me positive, told me to keep my head up and that the shots were going to fall. As a team we came together, got stops and scored the ball."

Cooper and Dartmouth transfer Taurus Samuels (four points and two assists in 24 minutes) were both named team captains with Garcia and Battle.