MINNESOTA-MISSOURI
MIZZOU ARENA
Tip Time: 7:01 p.m.
SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: MN Leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Nov. 16, 2023 (Missouri Win, 70-68)
Last Time at Missouri: Dec. 5, 1960 (MN Win, 60-56)
Medved vs. Missouri: First Meeting
TYSON TALKS
Gopher leading scorer Cade Tyson spoke with MNN sports director Mike Grimm about the game:
Cade Tyson
STARTING FIVE
• The Golden Gopher men’s basketball team hits the road for the first time in this new season when it travels to Missouri Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and on SECN+. It marks the fourth time these two teams are meeting and the second time in two years as it completes a home-and-home series.
• Minnesota opened the 2025-26 season with a pair of opening week wins against Gardner-Webb (Monday Nov. 3) and Alcorn State (Nov. 8). Cade Tyson scored 30 points in the season opener, becoming the first Gopher to score 30 points in a Minnesota debut. He followed with a 21-point performance against Alcorn State. Through two games, he averages 25.5 points and established his 1,000th career point.
• Minnesota’s 45 point margin over Alcorn State marks the largest margin of victory for the Gophers since 2017 when it scored 95 points, while allowing just 50. In 2014, the Gophers held a 52-point win margin. Minnesota has outscored its two opponents, 182-110.
• Jaylen Crocker-Johnson has played in two games for his Golden Gopher career, adding double-doubles in both games. It marked his fourth and fifth of his career and first since his freshman year at Little Rock. Crocker-Johnson also added a new career high 16 rebounds in the Alcorn State win.
• Although it’s early in the season, Minnesota ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (allowing 55 points) and scoring margin (+36), eighth in free throw percentage (.776). Minnesota is also averaging 27.50 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the league in rebounding margin. The Gophers average 22.5 assists, which ranks second in the Big Ten and first in steals at 9.50 per game. Individually, Cade Tyson ranks second in Big Ten scoring with 25.5 points per game, while Jaylen Crocker-Johnson leads the rebounding category with 15 rebounds per game. Langston Reynolds also ranks eighth in field goal efficiency, making 11 of 16 attempts to start the year.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• The Nov. 12 game marks the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools, dating back to 1959 and the first time in Columbia since 1960. Minnesota leads the series, 2-1, however, Missouri won the last meeting at Williams Arena in 2023.
• In that last meeting, Dawson Garcia led the Golden Gophers with 16 points and nine rebounds, while shooting 7-of-8 on free throws (.875). While the Gophers led, 54-39, Missouri stormed back to go on a 14-2 run and close out the game with the 70-68 win on the road.
SIBLING RIVALRY
• The Minnesota/Missouri game will have two brothers competing against each other. Missouri head coach Dennis Gates is the older brother of Minnesota assistant coach Armon Gates.
• The two went against each other twice last year, each winning a game. It marks the fifth time these two brothers have faced each other either as a coach, player or assistants.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• Missouri enters the Minnesota game with a 3-0 record. The Tigers opened the season at Howard, where they won, 88-67. Missouri then followed with a pair of home wins against Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) and VMI, 89-84 and 106-68. Missouri is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance from a year ago where they went 22-12 and finished sixth in the SEC.
• Mark Mitchell leads the Tigers in points averaging 20.7 this season. Last year, Mitchell was an All-SEC selection when he led the Tigers with 13.9 ppg in the 2024-25 season. He is also on this year’s All-SEC Preseason Team and an XX watch list. Along with him are returners Trent Pierce and Anthony Robinson II. Pierce has yet to play however this year due to injury, while Anthony Robinson II is tied for second in team scoring averaging 14.3 points and leads the team with 10 steals. Transfer Jayden Stone redshirted at West Virginia last year and is also averaging 14.3 points. Shawn Phillips Jr. holds a team-best eight rebounds per game.
• Through three games, the Tigers are shooting 57.2 percent and averaging 94.3 points. They are also shooitng 41.8 percent from three and average 42.3 rebounds per game.
ON THE DOCKET
• Following the Missouri game, the Gophers return home for two home games on Nov. 15 and Nov. 18. The Gophers host Green Bay at 8 p.m.
(info and photos courtesy of Gopher Sports)
