Minnesota vs Green Bay: Gophers look to rebound from Mizzou loss on Saturday
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s basketball team took their first loss of the 2025-26 season on Wednesday evening falling to the Missouri Tigers 83-60.
Despite the loss, Niko Medved’s program has shown quite a bit of promise so far this season and will have a chance to get back into the win column on Saturday afternoon when they face the Green Bay Phoenix at Williams Arena.
The Gophers and Phoenix have met three times all-time, their last meeting coming in 2021, a 72-56 win for the Gophers. Green Bay in that game actually led Minnesota at halftime 29-28 before the Gophers outscored the Phoenix in the second half 44-27. The two programs also met in 2020, a 99-69 win for Minnesota as well as in 1984, a 75-71 win as well for Minnesota.
How to watch Minnesota against Green Bay
When: Saturday, November 15
Where: Williams Arena (14,625) | Minneapolis, MN
Time: 8 p.m. CT
TV | Stream: BTN
Radio: KFAN FM 100.3 (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
Minnesota vs Green Bay Betting Information
As of Saturday afternoon, Minnesota is a comfortable 25.5-point favorite over the Phoenix with the total in the game set at 146.5 points. This season, Minnesota covered in both of their first two games of the season agaisnt Gardner-Webb and Alcorn State but failed to cover against Missouri.
Minnesota Golden Gophers projected starters
| No. | Player | Position | Height/Weight | Class | Min. | Pts. | Rebs. | Ast |
| 1 | Isaac Asuma | Guard | 6-3 / 196 | SO | 31.7 | 8.5 | 3.5 | 6 |
| 0 | Chansey Willis Jr | Guard | 6-2 / 190 | SR | 31.5 | 6.5 | 2 | 3.5 |
| 5 | Jaylen Crocker-Johnson | Forward | 6-8 / 230 | JR. | 38.4 | 14 | 15 | 1 |
| 10 | Cade Tyson | Forward | 6-7 / 200 | SR | 28.5 | 25.5 | 4.5 | 1.5 |
| 22 | Robert Vaihola | Center | 6-8 / 245 | SR | 17.3 | 8 | 9.5 | 2.5 |
Green Bay Phoenix projeted starters
| No. | Player | Position | Height/Weight | Class | Pts. | Rebs. | Ast |
| 11 | C.J. O’Hara | Guard | 6-4 / 180 | SO | 9 | 3.8 | 0.8 |
| 10 | Mac Wrecke | Guard | 6-2 / 175 | JR | 7.8 | 2.5 | 1 |
| 1 | Preston Ruedinger | Guard | 6-2 / 180 | SR | 4.8 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 13 | Caden Wilkins | Forward | 6-6 / 200 | SO | 8 | 3.3 | 1.5 |
| 21 | Marcus Hall | Forward | 6-6 | JR | 15.5 | 5.5 | 3.8 |
Statistical Comparison
| Minnesota | Category | Green Bay |
| 80.7 | Pts per game | 67.8 |
| 43 | Rebs per game | 32.5 |
| 15 | ORB per game | 6.8 |
| 28 | DRB per game | 25.8 |
| 18.7 | Ast per game | 15.3 |
| 0.683 | Ast per FGM | 0.594 |
| 1.514 | Ast-to-To Ratio | 1.118 |
| 48.5% | FG % | 43.5% |
| 28.3% | 3P % | 29.9% |
| 72.6% | FG % | 65.1% |
Rankings Comparison
| Minnesota | Ranking | Green Bay |
| 60 | BPI | 351 |
| 89 | Haslam | 340 |
| 76 | KenPom | 343 |
| 73 | T-Rank | 321 |
| 74.5 | Average | 338.8 |
Last time out
Minnesota (2-1): The Minnesota Golden Gophers got off to a fast start last time out against the Missouri Tigers and led Tigers for most of the first but a strong offensive start would fizzle out before halftime. The Gophers would keep it close in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but an 8-point possession from Missouri completely changed the tides of the game and jumpstarted a rout in the final 51-30 in the final 20 minutes of action.
Green Bay (1-3): Green Bay fell to St. Thomas 80-61 in their last matchup on Thursday. The Phoenix shot 42.9% from the field with Mac Wrecke leading all scroers with 10 points. They did, however, struggle from three-point range making just 5-of-20 attempts while also only making 8-of-14 free thorw attempts.
Can Minnesota find success from beyond the arc?
The Gophers barring a major surprise, should win on Saturday evening against the Phoenix and should do so comfortably. That being said, one storyline to watch in Minnesota’s fourth game of the season is if the Gophers can begin to find a groove from three-point range.
In each of their first three games this season, the Gophers have struggled to shoot the three, hitting just 7-of-21 attempts against Gardner-Webb, 5-of-16 against Alcorn State, and 5-of-23 against Missouri. Minnesota could have another off night in that regard and still most likely be fine but at some point this season, the Gophers will have to find some sort of stroke from deep.
Injury Report
The Gophers on Wednesday saw the return of sophomore forward Grayson Grove to the lineup albeit in limited action. They still, however, were without senior guard Maximus Gizzi, junior guard Chance Stephens, junior forward BJ Omot.
On Saturday, it’s unlikely that Gizzi, Stephens, or Omot will be available for the Gophers.
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