Despite back-to-back heartbreakers, Gophers trending up under Niko Medved

Minnesota continues to punch well above its weight this season.

Jan 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Niko Medved reacts during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Tuesday night's buzzer-beating loss to rival Wisconsin was Minnesota's second straight defeat at Williams Arena, but it feels like the overall outlook of the program took a big step in the right direction. Here's why.

When the Gophers came back from the Acrisure Invitational in California, they were riding a three-game losing streak, and they were 4-3 on the season. To make matters even worse, starting point guard Chansey Willis Jr. was ruled out for the season. They debuted at No. 142 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings on Dec. 1, and they've completely flipped the script since that tournament.

They began Big Ten play with a 73-64 upset win over No. 22 Indiana, before getting blown out on the road against Purdue. After three straight 'buy game' wins over Texas Southern, Campbell and Fairleigh Dickinson in late December, starting big man Robert Vaihola was ruled out for the year. Minnesota's rotation was cut to just seven players, but it opened 2026 with a bang.

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After picking up its first road win of the season at Northwestern, Minnesota knocked off No. 19 Iowa at home. Its NET ranking climbed all the way to No. 83 in the country. Following losses to USC and Wisconsin in back-to-back games at home, the Gophers have fallen just two spots in the NET to No. 85.

According to popular analytics site barttorvik.com, the Gophers were the 148th-best team in the country in November. Since December 1, they're 37th in the country. Despite losing two starters for the year, and potential sixth man B.J. Omot still on the injury report, Medved's team has found an identity.

Every Minnesota-Wisconsin game at the Barn is gonna be among the best home atmospheres of the season, but the Gophers' effort in front of a raucous home crowd felt different.

"I struggle with moral victories; that’s not what we’re here for. I thought this game was here for us to win; the last two were," Medved said after Tuesday's game. "We didn’t get the job done. Having said that, they’re giving us everything they have. They’re fighting like crazy, they’re giving themselves a chance to win these games."

Minnesota's November slump might make it hard to win much in terms of postseason basketball this March. With a seven-man rotation of only two returning players, and only one from last year's Colorado State squad, it's hard to think the Gophers aren't punching at least a little above their weight.

The Gophers might not get back to the NCAA Tournament this season for the first time since 2018-19, but it's clear Medved has the boat pointed in the right direction. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, which was hard to find for Gophers basketball over the last few seasons.