Gophers' Nonconference Schedule Is Taking Shape, But Plenty of Work Remains

We're in the nonconference scheduling part of the college basketball offseason, and three matchups were revealed for the Gophers on Tuesday. They now have six games unofficially set for the 2026 nonconference slate. Let's break it down.

Schedule News: Minnesota will host the following guarantee games:

-North Dakota on Monday November 2nd ($95,000)
-Western Illinois on Monday November 16th ($110,000)
-UTSA on Tuesday December 29th ($110,000)
— Alex Rosinski (@WiscyBusiness) June 2, 2026

Monday, Nov. 2: vs. North Dakota

Last year's season opener was on Monday, Nov. 3, so it's fair to assume a game on Monday, Nov. 2, would be the Gophers' season opener in 2026. Head coach Paul Sather has built a fun program in Grand Forks, but they continue to lose their top players to the transfer portal seemingly every offseason.

A home game against the Fighting Hawks won't do much for Minnesota's NCAA Tournament resume; it's almost guaranteed to be a Quad 4 opportunity. North Dakota would have to be in the top-160 of the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings for it to even be Quad 3, which would be a historic season. Ultimately, a regional matchup is a great way to tip off the season, and Minnesota-North Dakota should be an annual game.

Thursday, Nov. 12: vs. Southern

Southern might be one of the more consistent programs in the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC), but this is guaranteed to be a Quad 4 game for the Gophers. The Jaguars haven't had a losing season in three years under head coach Kevin Johnson.

Monday, Nov. 16: vs. Western Illinois

Western Illinois has historically been one of the worst programs in Division I men's basketball since it joined the level in the 1980s. They were essentially founding members of the Summit League, which was formerly called the Mid-Continent Athletic Association, but they left the conference before the 2022-23 season for the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Year 1 under head coach Chad Boudreau looked promising with a D1 program record 21 wins, but they have just 17 wins over the last two seasons combined. It will be another Quad 4 buy-game for the Gophers.

November 20, 22: Charleston Classic

We broke down the Gophers' place in the Charleston Classic last month. Other teams currently set to be in the event include Dayton, Utah, Northwestern, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech, with two more left to be announced. There's certainly an opportunity that the Gophers don't get a Quad 1 opportunity in the tournament, but given their current standing as a power conference program nationally, it's a reasonable and realistic multi-team event (MTE).

Tuesday, Dec. 29: vs. UTSA

UTSA will likely be another Quad 4 opportunity for the Gophers. The Roadrunners have not transitioned well into the American Conference as a basketball program. Excluding the shortened COVID season, they've haven't had a winning season since 2018-19. The attendance for the matchup at Williams Arena will likely be sparse, as it lands during winter break for University of Minnesota students.

What's next?

It would be pretty silly to make sweeping conclusions about a six-game nonconference slate, because Minnesota will add at least five more games. But, as things currently stand, they have a lot of work to do.

A potential St. Thomas matchup is looming, but that wouldn't do much for the Gophers' NCAA Tournament resume. That leaves just five spots for a real marquee game. Nonconference scheduling matters in this sport, even with an expanded March Madness field to 76 teams. Niko Medved badly needs some marquee matchups on the schedule.

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