{"id":84794,"date":"2024-07-06T08:30:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-06T12:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=84794"},"modified":"2024-07-06T00:50:13","modified_gmt":"2024-07-06T04:50:13","slug":"minnesota-big-ten-basketball-preview-2024-25-rebuilding-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/06\/minnesota-big-ten-basketball-preview-2024-25-rebuilding-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Big Ten Basketball Preview 2024-25: Rebuilding Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have long been in the rebuilding stages under head coach Ben Johnson. The Big Ten will be as tough<\/a> as ever with four new teams. So the room for error just got bigger for Minnesota. They proved to be a tough out every time they took the floor in 2023-24.<\/p>\n

The Gophers shocked many finishing with a 19-15 record and reaching the second round of the NIT. They were certainly ahead of schedule, especially after winning only nine games the previous season. Minnesota had a lot of good players last season that stepped up, led by freshman Cam Christie<\/a>, who made an impact early and often.<\/p>\n

However, it’s back to draining board for 2024-25, as Christie went to the NBA. His departure wasn’t the only big departure as the Gophers lost several key contributors to the transfer portal. Minnesota has a lot of work to do to be able to contend this coming season.<\/p>\n

Minnesota Big Ten Basketball Preview 2024-25: Rebuilding Year<\/h2>\n

Transfer season didn’t help the Gophers, as they lost several key players to other schools including Pharrel Payne<\/a>.\u00a0 Payne was making big strides to be a force in the post for Minnesota. However, he chose to leave Minneapolis for College Station and Texas A&M. He isn’t the only big contributor to leave via the portal, as Elijah Hawkins<\/a> who when healthy was the best point guard in the Big Ten last season. Hawkins averaged eight assists per game in 2023-24. He will be deeply missed this season.<\/p>\n

The portal can give and take, as Minnesota may have lost six players to it, but they were able to bring in seven new players as well. Those transfer additions are highlighted by Brennan Rigsby<\/a> from new Big Ten foe Oregon,<\/a> as well as Femi Odukale<\/a> from New Mexico State. Odukale was mic’d up during a recent Gopher practice shared via Minnesota’s social media.<\/p>\n

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Let's have a great day \ud83d\ude01@showtime_Femi<\/a> is on the mic \ud83c\udfa4 pic.twitter.com\/0Q175RzqaE<\/a><\/p>\n

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) July 1, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n