Where do Ben Johnson and the Gophers go now without Dennis Evans?
The past few weeks haven't been a great time to be a Gopher basketball fan.
After Saturday loss at Nebraska, the Gophers are 7-20 overall and 1-16 in the Big Ten. They've lost 12 straight games and 14 of their past 15 and it feels like a last-place finish in the conference is imminent.
A bright future built around five-star recruit Dennis Evans provided some hope, but after the star center de-committed from Minnesota on Friday, the pessimism surrounding the program has never been stronger.
Evans was a symbol of where things could turn around for the Gophers. He was the Gophers' highest-rated commit since Kris Humphries in 2003 and was joining four-star guard Cameron Christie to create a talented young nucleus. But for all the hype that was building off the court, Evans's biggest contribution would have been in the paint.
One of the biggest weaknesses for the Gophers this season has been their defense. They rank 197th in scoring defense with 70.5 points allowed per game, 241st in field goal percentage allowed (44.6%), 258th in rebounding (33.3 per game) and 320th in rebounding margin (-3.6).
Dawson Garcia is the Gophers' leading rebounder at 6.5 per game but after reserve forward Pharrell Payne (4.8 rpg), the next player on the list is starting point guard Ta'Lon Cooper at 4.2 rebounds per game.
The Gophers do have 3.9 blocks per game, but having an incoming freshman that averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks per game in his senior season at Riverside Hillcrest and has a 7-foot-7 wingspan could have solved a lot of their problems.
In fact, the Gophers have a size problem across their roster. Aside from the 6-foot-11 Garcia, only Treyton Thompson, who is averaging 1.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in his sophomore season, and forward Isaiah Ihnen, who is coming off back-to-back season-ending knee injuries, stand above 6-foot-10.
While Christie should help the Gophers from an overall talent perspective, the Gophers will likely have to rely on internal development to become a factor in the Big Ten. While Payne (7.8 points per game), Braeden Carrington (5.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg) , Joshua Ola-Joseph (7.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and Jaden Henley (4.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg) have potential, it's a big step up to compete with the best in the Big Ten.
The decline of Jamison Battle is especially concerning as he has gone from All-Big Ten candidate to a player that's settling for outside shots in his second season at Minnesota.
The Gophers could improve via the transfer portal but it could serve just as much of a detriment as it could be a benefit. That's the fear: talented players who want out like some familiar names of the recent past:
- Gabe Kalscheur, who is the second-leading scorer on an Iowa State team that reached the Sweet 16 last season and is currently ranked 23rd in the country.
- Marcus Carr, who has become a superstar averaging 17.0 points and 4.1 assists for a Texas team that could reach the Final Four.
- Jamal Mashburn Jr., who is averaging 19.6 points per game for a New Mexico team that is 20-8 in former Gopher head coach Richard Pitino's second season.
Perhaps Christie and this young group of freshmen can be the group that restores Gopher basketball, but Evans's de-commitment is a blow that Minnesota could have a hard time overcoming.
