An almost entirely new Gophers men’s basketball team took the court at Williams Arena on Wednesday night for the season opener against Oral Roberts University.
Senior Dawson Garcia joined six other Gophers as they played their final college basketball season opener. Garcia is in his third year wearing the maroon and gold uniform, a rare thing in today’s college basketball world as several players transfer seeking NIL deals.
The Gophers returned five players from last season’s roster, including senior Mike Mitchell Jr. who enjoyed the win for his final season-opener.
“Everything is coming together and especially the way we went out felt good,” Mitchell Jr. said.
Senior Parker Fox, another returning member from last season’s team, added 13 points on 100% from the field, while Mitchell Jr. added seven points and nine assists.
The Gophers are starting the season banged up, with junior Frank Mitchell sidelined week-to-week but might suit up for the game on Saturday, according to head coach Ben Johnson. Senior Tyler Cochran is also out with a foot injury.
Garcia set the tone for the game when he put up the first points from a long two-point jump shot. Not once did the Gophers lose the lead.
“I just felt like I was out there playing my game and playing loose,” Garcia said.
Johnson spent the last few weeks talking about how much older this team is than in the past. The fourth-year head coach boasts a roster of 10 seniors who scored the first 25 points on Wednesday.
Garcia had 16 of the 25 points and made three 3-point shots in the first 10 minutes.
The Gophers were up 29-8 late in the first half, but an 8-0 Oral Roberts’s run brought the Golden Eagles within 13 points. Senior Lu’Cye Patterson hit a contested 3-point basket as the shot clock winded down to end the run.
Oral Roberts played a full-court man-to-man press for the final minutes of the first half. Despite a quick turnover from Mitchell Jr., the Gophers held onto a double-digit lead entering halftime.
The second half started with Oral Roberts getting five unanswered points until the Gophers defense held them scoreless for over three minutes. By the 10-minute mark, the Gophers pushed the lead to 24 points after freshman Isaac Asuma hit a 3-point shot for his first collegiate points.
The Gophers held Oral Roberts to less than 35% from the field with 15 turnovers and 20 points allowed on turnovers.
Johnson called Mitchell Jr. an underrated defender and praised Asuma for his defense in his first game.
“Isaac, I think in time could be really, really good defensively,” Johnson said. “When those guys are on the ball you feel it, they have a presence on the ball.”
The Gophers only played two underclassmen the whole game. Betts and Asuma combined for 11 points off the bench.
The Gophers will be back at Williams Arena on Nov. 9 to play against the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
