Gophers rout North Dakota in opener
Minnesota outscored the Fighting Hawks 85-50 on Monday, with five players scoring in double figures.
By Amina Kaminski ·
The Minnesota Gophers defeated North Dakota 85-50 at The Barn on Monday to open their season. Head coach Niko Medved's squad built a 16-point lead by halftime and extended the margin to 23 points during the first half.
Bobby Durkin led the scoring with 16 points, including four made 3-pointers. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson contributed 15 points, while Isaac Asuma and Malick Kordel each recorded 13. Five Gophers finished with double-digit scores.
Kordel, a 7-foot-2 center, recorded four dunks during an 18-0 run early in the second half. The team moved the ball efficiently, posting 13 assists on 15 field goals made.
North Dakota struggled from the field in the opening 20 minutes, making only four of 28 shots. The Fighting Hawks hit their final four attempts to finish the half at a 25% clip. Jayden Moore, a Minnesota native, led North Dakota with 13 points.
The Gophers will host St. Thomas at 7 p.m. Friday. St. Thomas is projected to finish second in the Summit League preseason poll, while North Dakota was picked to finish sixth in the eight-team league.
Minnesota holds a 21-2 record against North Dakota since 2014. The Gophers beat the Fighting Hawks 82-62 in an exhibition last year. Three players were sidelined for Monday's game: Cade Tyson, who has an eligibility case in federal court; Chadrack Mpoyi, who faces an NCAA eligibility issue; and Winters Grady, whose status remains unknown.
