Gophers' Ben Johnson: Nobody thought we'd make the Big Ten Tournament

Johnson is taking pride in the Gophers rising from the ashes and outperforming media expectations.

Mar 1, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Ben Johnson looks down the bench during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Gophers men's basketball team probably needs to win the Big Ten Tournament to have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament, but head coach Ben Johnson is taking a glass half-full approach in applauding his team's resilency after a woeful start to the season while being picked to finish last by conference media members.

"There was a lot of people that did not think that [the Gophers] would be in the Big Ten Tournament. Period. And they could say they did, but they did not. There was a lot of people that did not think we would win 7 games with a chance to win 8. Last year we won 9. If I would've told people we had a chance to win 8, they would've laughed at me and called me crazy, right?" Johnson said after Minnesota fell 74-67 at home to rival Wisconsin Wednesday night.

"I want our guys to take a lot of pride in that. To start off 0-6, with it stacked against you, and then have people in the preseason have you picked last and to be that resilient, to keep fighting. That's a character trait. That's a trait where it shows they're a growth mindset. They came to the gym every day to get better. You don't flip it if you're not willing to get better and work, and those guys did."

I’m not a Big Ten tiebreaker expert, but Ben Johnson seems to think the Gophers have clinched a spot in the conference tournament.

“Let’s expect to keep playing.” pic.twitter.com/PNFjKfcDAh

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) March 6, 2025

Johnson's not wrong. Minnesota went 8-3 in nonconference games—crushing, close losses to North Texas, Wichita State and Wake Forest—and started the Big Ten schedule with six straight losses. They were dead in the water before winning six of their next nine conference games, including home wins over ranked Oregon and Michigan squads.

But the season has spiraled down the stretch with bad home losses to Penn State and Northwestern marring a stretch of three losses in the last four games.

The Gophers wrap up the regular season Sunday at 12 p.m. CT at Rutgers, at which point they will learn their Big Ten Tournament fate.