Mike Mitchell Jr. could be Gophers’ answer at point guard; other guards adjusting around him

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson knows what he wants from returning starting guard Mike Mitchell Jr. and his new backcourt to open the year.

They have to be able to shoot. They have to play defense. They need to establish tempo and flow.

Sounds like what every coach wants, right? But it takes time to develop a backcourt in college basketball.

Last season, the Gophers saw how much of a difference guard play can make in the Big Ten. They hope to take another step with their new backcourt in Saturday’s game against Nebraska Omaha.

“It’s still going to be a work in progress,” Johnson said after Wednesday’s 80-57 opening victory vs. Oral Roberts. “But to have 25 assists and only nine turnovers in a game — where I thought in the first half it kind of got stuck a little bit — is a good sign.”

Dawson Garcia’s 30-point performance Wednesday shows how smooth the All-Big Ten preseason forward’s transition could be with an almost entirely different squad.

Mitchell was the only guard returning from last season, but so far so good in his adjustment to a different role after Game 1. Mitchell set the tone with nine assists and only one turnover in 32 minutes.

“They make my job easier,” Mitchell said about his new Gophers backcourt teammates. “And I feel like I make their job easier. It spaces the floor out for me and [Garcia] to do our thing.”

A 6-2 senior, Mitchell might be the answer to replace former starting point guard Elijah Hawkins, who transferred to Texas Tech. A year ago, it also took Hawkins about a month to look this comfortable facilitating and limiting turnovers.

Mitchell, who averaged 10.2 points and 2.6 assists last season, played more off the ball for the first time in his career, which started at Pepperdine. He’s capable of dishing and defending better than a year ago.

“Mike’s always kind of, I think, an underrated defender,” Johnson said. “He’s scrappy. He’s got kind of like a skinny toughness to him.”

Fellow starting guards Lu’Cye Patterson and Brennan Rigsby contributed on the boards with nine combined rebounds. Rigsby, who led the team with 16.5 points in two exhibitions, struggled with three points on 1-for-5 shooting Wednesday. Patterson, who missed one exhibition because of a shoulder injury, had the best scoring game of the guards with 10 points, including going perfect from three (2-for-2) and free throws (2-for-2).

Patterson took over as the floor leader at times Wednesday. It was similar to his role as an all-league guard at Charlotte last season. He’s also leaning on Mitchell’s experience with the Gophers last season.

“I’m just coming in, being a leader,” Patterson said previously. “I never played in the Big Ten, so I can ask Mike questions about different players and plays. I feel like we’re going to help each other a lot.”

Femi Odukale’s debut was solid Wednesday after missing the exhibition games. A potential starter before dealing with a hip injury, the 6-6 senior had six assists and four steals against Oral Roberts. He went scoreless in a game for the first time in two years, but he was more focused on defense and passing in his first game.

“It does take a while to develop offensive rhythm,” Johnson said. “And to understand guys’ spots and where guys want the ball, what guys do when they have the ball. I think we’re just going to have to work through that.”

Mitchell, Patterson, Rigsby and Odukale could be a solid guard rotation, but the Gophers also have Mid-American Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year Tyler Cochran from Toledo out until December after foot surgery. Former Macalester Division III star Caleb Williams also missed the opener with an illness.

Having veterans who can adapt quickly was important. The future also seems bright in the backcourt with freshman Isaac Asuma soaking up knowledge daily from Mitchell and the older backcourt crew.

“He’s learning from all of us,” Mitchell said. “We’re taking him under our wing and teaching him the little pointers about college basketball.”

Nebraska Omaha at Minnesota

2:30 p.m. Saturday at Williams Arena

TV, radio: B1G+, 100.3-FM

About Omaha: Picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the Summit League preseason poll, the Mavericks are coming off a 15-18 season. Omaha coach Chris Crutchfield led his team to sixth place in the league, including a 69-65 victory vs. St. Thomas. All-league F Marquel Sutton,the team’s leading returning scorer (12.3) and rebounder (6.3), had 25 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday’s 79-76 victory vs. Stetson. Minnesota natives Ja’Sean Glover (Madelia) and North Dakota State transfer Joshua Streit (Watkins) scored nine and four points, respectively. Maple Grove freshman C Lincoln Palbicki did not play. ... Gophers big man Frank Mitchell is a gameday decision after missing the opener because of a shoulder injury.