Gophers Expected to Face Oregon With Thin Roster Again

Minnesota will likely be without its best frontcourt player again on Tuesday night against Oregon.

Feb 14, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Niko Medved during the first half against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Minnesota desperately missed starting big man Jaylen Crocker-Johnson during Saturday's loss at Washington. He'll likely remain out of the lineup again on Tuesday at Oregon with a foot injury.

Crocker-Johnson started the first 24 games of the season for Minnesota, and he has averaged 13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game on 41.5% shooting from the field and 32.3% shooting from three-point range. He followed Niko Medved from Colorado State to the Twin Cities through the transfer portal in the offseason, and he has been their most productive frontcourt player.

The Gophers turned to redshirt freshman Grayson Grove in the frontcourt against Washington. Star Huskies big man Hannes Steinbach found some serious success with 26 points and 9 rebounds on 12 of 17 shooting from the field. It sounds like Minnesota could be without Crocker-Johnson again in the second leg of its West Coast road trip on Tuesday against Oregon.

"He has been dealing with a foot deal that really bothered him after the win against Michigan State. He tried to gut it out against Maryland. It's just one of those things that is precautionary. He missed (the Washington game) and most likely for sure too against Oregon. What is already a thin, undersized team got taken to another level," Medved said after Saturday's loss.

Minnesota will have its hands full against another one of the Big Ten's best big men on Tuesday night. 7-foot Oregon senior Nate Bittle is averaging 16.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season. The Ducks' offense runs through their big man, and the Gophers will need to find a way to slow him down with just one healthy frontcourt player on their roster.

Medved has already had to deal with season-ending injuries to starting point guard Chansey Willis Jr., big man Robert Vaihola, potential sixth man B.J. Omot and reserve Chance Stephens. Playing without Crocker-Johnson is another level of challenge.

Oregon hasn't been the same dominant team this season, with just a 9-16 overall record, but it broke a 10-game losing streak on Saturday with a win over Penn State. Even without Crocker-Johnson, it's still a winnable game for the Gophers ahead of a home game on Saturday against last-place Rutgers, which is a game they will be heavily favored to win.

Injuries have severely hurt Minnesota's postseason chances in year one under Medved, but they still have the potential to end the 2025-26 regular season with some momentum. That will start on Tuesday night in Eugene.

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