Gophers end 92-year wait to beat St. Thomas in Minneapolis

Minnesota defeated St. Thomas 76-62 on Friday night.

The Golden Gophers, now 2-0 on the season, erased a 92-year gap in their schedule to claim the win. Isaac Asuma led the effort with 20 points, connecting on four of the team’s 11 three-pointers. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Minnesota built a commanding lead in the first half. Asuma’s four long-range shots came during a 16-0 run that put the Gophers ahead 33-16 late in the first 20 minutes. St. Thomas struggled from the floor during that stretch, going 2-for-18 in the final 11 minutes of the half.

The lead continued to grow in the second half. Crocker-Johnson hit a three-pointer in the opening minute to extend the margin to 45-24. St. Thomas cut the deficit to seven points on two separate occasions. Minnesota responded with a 9-0 run after the first cut and five straight points after the second. Kyan Evans hit his only made three-pointer to make it 72-60 with three minutes remaining.

Nolan Groves contributed 15 points and three three-pointers off the bench. Grayson Grove finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Minnesota enters this game after an 85-50 win over North Dakota. The Gophers now hold a 99-6 all-time record against Summit League opponents.

St. Thomas, which dropped its second game of the year, saw Jeremy Lorenz score 13 points and Hayden Tibbits add 12. The Tommies, currently 1-1, are projected to finish second in the Summit League. This marks the first meeting between the schools since 1934 and the first since St. Thomas joined Division I in 2021. Minnesota holds a 6-1 all-time record against St. Thomas from their Division III era, which spanned 1907 to 1934. The Tommies host Green Bay on Sunday, while Minnesota travels to Cincinnati on Monday.