Local Rivalry: Gophers Host St. Thomas in First Division I Clash
The two Minneapolis teams meet Friday at The Barn, a matchup coach Niko Medved admits offers little resume value but high local enthusiasm.
By Ariana Flores ·
The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team will play its first ever Division I game against the University of St. Thomas on Friday night. The two rivals will meet at The Barn in Minneapolis, marking a historic shift in the local basketball scene.
St. Thomas moved to the Division I Summit League in 2021. The Gophers program has a much longer history in the top tier of college basketball. Friday’s contest serves as the inaugural non-conference meeting between the two schools under the new divisional alignment.
Gophers head coach Niko Medved acknowledged the unique nature of the matchup during a practice session on Thursday. He noted that the game is expected to draw approximately 10,000 fans to the arena. Medved described the event as a significant moment for Twin Cities basketball, despite the early season timing.
Medved was candid about the strategic risks involved in scheduling the Tommies. He stated that the St. Thomas team offers no resume upside for the Gophers in terms of NCAA Tournament seeding. A victory does not add weight to the Gophers' record, while a loss could be damaging to their standing. He emphasized that the decision was driven by community enthusiasm rather than competitive calculus.
"If you take the name off the jersey or that they were local, there’s no upside to us playing them," Medved said. "I’m doing it because I think it’s great for basketball in the Twin Cities." He added that he hopes to receive credit for prioritizing the local rivalry over traditional scheduling metrics.
The Gophers enter the game following an 85-50 victory over North Dakota on Monday night. Five players recorded double-digit scoring performances, and the team generated 29 assists on 34 made shots. Medved praised the squad for moving the ball and playing an unselfish style of basketball.
The coaching staff plans to use the next week to evaluate team performance more deeply. The Gophers will travel to Cincinnati on November 9 for their next contest. That game is scheduled to be a Quad 1 or Quad 2 matchup on the NCAA selection committee's matrix.
