A Historic Neighborhood Rivalry
The upcoming season will see the Minnesota Gophers and the University of St. Thomas Tommies meet for the first time as Division I neighbors, sparking fresh excitement among fans and players alike.
The men's team is scheduled to host St. Thomas at Williams Arena on November 6, while the women's squad will open its home schedule against the Tommies at The Barn on December 1. Both games represent the inaugural matchups between the two programs at the Division I level.
First Meeting of the Women's Programs
This season will also mark the first-ever contest between the women's programs, adding another layer of intrigue to the series. The Gophers women finished the previous season with a 24‑9 record, captured a 13‑5 mark in Big Ten play, and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to eventual national champion UCLA.
In contrast, the Tommies women posted a 16‑16 overall record with an 8‑8 conference slate, showing steady progress under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit.
Coaching Perspectives and Historical Context
St. Thomas coach Johnny Tauer recently celebrated a 79‑62 victory over North Dakota State at Schoenecker Arena, underscoring the program's upward trajectory. When St. Thomas first entered Division I in 2021‑22, former Gophers coach Ben Johnson had voiced reluctance to schedule the Tommies, a stance that has since shifted.
New Gophers head coach Niko Medved, who guided the men's team to a 15‑18 overall record and an 8‑12 Big Ten finish in his debut season, has indicated a willingness to play the Tommies, though not on an annual basis. The Gopher men have not faced St. Thomas since 1934, and Minnesota held a 6‑1 record against the Tommies during their Division III era from 1907 to 1934.
Both programs bring recent competitive experience to the matchups. The Gopher men missed the NCAA Tournament but participated in the College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, where they fell to Baylor. St. Thomas finished the season 24‑10 overall with a 12‑4 record in the Summitt League, narrowly missing March Madness before exiting the National Invitational Tournament against Seattle.