Gophers frontcourt banged up going into matchup at Rutgers

The Gophers men's basketball team's frontcourt has been in flux the last few games going into Wednesday night's matchup at Rutgers.

Two different starting centers have replaced leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia since he was sidelined with a bone bruise injury late in the Jan. 22 loss at Michigan. Garcia, who is a questionable to play Wednesday, started the first 18 games before sitting out for the first time in the Jan. 25 loss against Indiana. His team was down to seven scholarship players in the 61-57 loss.

"It's close, but I'm not fully sold on it," Gophers coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday about Garcia returning to play against the Scarlet Knights.

Sophomore 7-footer Treyton Thompson started in place of Garcia against the Hoosiers and finished with eight points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in 37 minutes. Freshman Pharrel Payne, who returned from concussion protocol, picked up his first career start in Saturday's 81-61 loss at Northwestern, but he finished with just three points, three rebounds and four turnovers in 17 minutes.

Thompson will wear a protective mask Wednesday after suffering a broken nose against Northwestern, but he will be available. Junior forward Jamison Battle, who scored 20 points against the Wildcats, injured his back earlier last month, but he finally appears healthy.

In the first seven games this season, Thompson started with Garcia, but that was before freshman Joshua Ola-Joseph emerged as a smaller but stronger and more athletic option. Former walk-on Will Ramberg also started four games when Battle was out to start the season after foot surgery.

The Gophers struggled against some of the Big Ten's top big men even at full strength during their five-game losing streak. The Scarlet Knights have their own frontcourt standout that could be a formidable force with 6-11 junior Clifford Omoruyi, who leads the team with 13.4 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game.

GAME INFO

Time: 7:30 p.m. CT, Wednesday. Where: Jersey Mike's Arena. Line: Gophers 15-point underdogs. Series: Gophers leads 9-6, including 68-65 win at Williams Arena on Jan. 22, 2022. TV: Big Ten Network. Online/Live video: BTN-Plus. Radio: 100.3-FM

PROJECTED STARTERS

MINNESOTA GOPHERS (7-13, 1-9 BIG TEN)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Ta'Lon Cooper 6-4 195 Jr. 10.

G – Taurus Samuels 6-1 195 Sr. 3.0

F – Jamison Battle 6-7 220 Jr. 13.1

F – Joshua Ola-Joseph 6-7 215 Fr. 6.9

F – Pharrel Payne 6-9 255 Fr. 7.0

Key reserves – Treyton Thompson, C, 7-0, So., 2.1 ppg; Jaden Henley, G, 6-7, Fr., 3.9 ppg; Will Ramberg, F, 6-5, Jr., 2.2 ppg.

Coach: Ben Johnson 20-30 (2nd season)

Notable: Jamison Battle, who missed the first four games this season after foot surgery, played a few games last month with a lingering back injury suffered in Jan. 16 loss vs. Illinois. Battle, who averages nearly 13 points per game, recovered to post consecutive 20-point performances for the first time this season in losses to Indiana and Northwestern … The Gophers announced 6-8 freshman forward Kadyn Betts will redshirt the 2022-23 season after reclassifying and joining the team early this year. Betts will be part of a highly touted 2023 class that was signed Nov. 9, including five-star center Dennis Evans III and four-star guard Cameron Christie. Christie and Evans were named McDonald's All-American nominees last week. … The Gophers have lost four of the last five games vs. Rutgers and haven't won against the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, N.J. since a 72-63 victory on Feb. 11, 2017.

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (14-7, 6-4)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Paul Mulcahy 6-7 213 Sr. 9.1

G – Caleb McConnell 6-7 200 Sr. 9.6

G – Cam Spencer 6-4 Jr. 207 12.9

F – Mawot Mag 6-8 217 Jr. 7.8

F – Clifford Omoruyi 6-11 240 Jr. 13.4

Reserves – Aundre Hyatt, F, 6-11, Sr., 9.7 ppg; Derek Simpson, G, 6-3, Fr., 6.0 ppg; Antwone Woolfolk, F, 6-9, Fr., 3.0 ppg.

Coach: Steve Pikiell 309-272 (17th season)

Notable: The Scarlet Knights reached the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1975-76 last year, but they're not slowing down anytime soon. Nobody in the country so far has a win on their resume like Rutgers' upset against No. 1 Purdue. Steve Pikiell's program is also on pace for its best conference finish since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The Scarlet Knights, who finished fourth in the Big Ten in 2020-21, are currently tied for third in the standings with Northwestern.

Fuller's score prediction: Rutgers 66, Gophers 55.