Gophers trending in the wrong direction before Big Ten opener against No. 22 Indiana

Minnesota faces a ranked opponent for the first time this season on Wednesday night.

Nov 29, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries and Indiana Hoosiers forward Tucker Devries (12) talk during the first half against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Gophers are limping into their Big Ten opener against No. 22 Indiana at the Barn on Wednesday night. Early betting odds from FanDuel Sportsbook view the Hoosiers as 10.5-point favorites. What are Minnesota's chances of pulling off the upset?

The Gophers open as (+9.5) point underdogs for tomorrow night's Big Ten opener at the Barn against No. 22 Indiana.

The Hoosiers are a perfect 7-0 under first-year head coach Darian DeVries.

Let's hear some early predictions. 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/KtHwlXkPlu

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) December 2, 2025

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Minnesota injuries

It was announced on Tuesday that starting Gophers point guard Chansey Willis Jr. will miss the rest of the season due to a foot injury. They've already been without Cal transfer wing B.J. Omot and Maryland transfer guard Chance Stephens for the entire regular season. And starting center Robert Vaihola has missed the previous three games due to a knee injury. Minnesota's depth has been tested early and often in year one under Niko Medved.

Keys to the game

Indiana has had a different fortune under its first-year head coach Darian DeVries. The Hoosiers have begun the season 7-0 with notable Power Conference wins against Marquette and Kansas State. A highly-touted transfer portal class headlined by Tucker DeVries, Lamar Wilkerson, Tayton Conerway, Reed Bailey and Sam Alexis has impressed, with all five players averaging more than 10 points per game.

The Hoosiers are the 19th-rated team on KenPom.com, which is 10 spots higher than Minnesota's previously highest-ranked opponent, Missouri. Kansas State and Marquette are far from huge tests, so Indiana has had a relatively easy schedule, but it still has the 36th-best offense and 14th-best defense on the site.

Prediction

Minnesota enters Wednesday's game with a three-game losing streak and severely banged up. But it's the first and only home game against a Power Conference opponent for this Gophers team before the calendar turns to 2026. With a first-year head coach, there is still some excitement in the air, and it should be one of the better environments at Williams Arena this season.

If the Gophers get Vaihola back and potentially the regular-season debut for Omot, they could still have a solid eight-player rotation. It would still be an uphill battle, but there could be a path to being competitive with one, if not both players, back in the lineup.

Ultimately, Minnesota would have to play at a level that we have not seen from them against major opponents so far this season, if it wants to even be competitive against the Hoosiers. I expect a competitive first half with a deep Indiana team pulling away late.

Score: Indiana 82, Minnesota 68

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