Analyst suggests Gophers' Year 1 success under Medved will hinge on two players

Minnesota will need to knock down its three point shots in order to have success this season.

Nov 28, 2024; Paradise Island, Bahamas, BHS; Davidson Wildcats forward Bobby Durkin (2) drives to the basket as Providence Friars guard Corey Floyd Jr. (14) defends during the second half at the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

After a late addition from North Carolina transfer forward Cade Tyson, the Gophers have seemingly filled out the majority of their 2025-26 roster. CBSSports analyst David Cobb released an article on Tuesday grading the rosters of 13 first-year coaches, and Minnesota was given a C+.

Niko Medved faced a tough task this offseason, with only three players and one incoming freshman returning from the Ben Johnson regime. Out of all 13 power conference coaches mentioned in Cobb's article, Medved tied with Miami's Jai Lucas for 10th with a C+. Utah's Alex Jensen and Villanova's Kevin Willard were the only two to receive worse grades with Cs.

"Minnesota's Year 1 success under Medved will hinge, in part, on how a couple of 3-point shooting forwards translate. Davidson transfer Bobby Durkin ranked sixth in the Atlantic 10 last season in 3-point attempts per game at 7.8 and hit 35.5% of them," Cobb wrote. "Fellow 6-foot-7 forward Cade Tyson (formerly of North Carolina and Belmont) is also on the roster in search of a fresh start after a rough one-year stint with the Tar Heels."

Durkin and Tyson have the potential for big seasons in 2025-26 with the Gophers. Tyson is a year removed from shooting over 40% from three in back-to-back seasons at Belmont, and he could refind that form at Minnesota. Both players have the potential to be double-digit scorers in the Big Ten.

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"The primary ball-handlers on this team will likely be returning sophomore Isaac Asuma, Northern Colorado transfer Langston Reynolds and Western Michigan transfer Chansey Willis Jr." Cobb continued. "Reynolds and Willis were mid-major bucket-getters but are not known as particularly great outside shooters. Thus, Durkin and Tyson will need to knock down their open looks."

Cobb's outlook on the Gophers' 2025-26 roster could wind up being very accurate. Willis Jr. shot 28.4% from three last season, Asuma was at 35.7%, and Reynolds shot 40.9% from three, but that was on only 1.3 attempts per game. If Minnesota wants an efficient, high-scoring offense this season, it'll need Durkin and Tyson to produce from beyond the arc.