Basketball in the Big Ten is a cruel, cruel mistress. Honestly, if you walked out of Williams Arena on Tuesday night feeling like you’d been punched in the gut, you weren't alone. The latest Minnesota men's basketball score tells a story of a game that was basically won, then lost, then miraculously tied, and then—in the most Gopher way possible—snatched away at the very last second.
Final: Wisconsin 78, Minnesota 75.
It was a buzzer-beater that felt like a localized earthquake in Minneapolis. John Blackwell, who had been a thorn in Minnesota’s side all night, pulled up from way downtown as the clock bled out. Splash. Game over. Just like that, the Gophers fell to 10-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play. It’s their second straight loss, and it hurts a little extra because they actually held an 11-point lead in the second half.
Why the Minnesota Men's Basketball Score Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
Scores are just numbers on a screen. They don't capture the sound of 10,914 people—a season-best crowd, by the way—absolutely losing their minds when Cade Tyson hit that three-pointer with five seconds left. At that moment, it was 75-75. We were headed to overtime. The Barn was shaking.
Then Blackwell happened.
You've gotta give credit where it's due, even if it's the Badgers. Blackwell finished with 27 points. He went 5-for-7 from deep. When a guy is seeing the rim like it's a hula hoop, there isn't much you can do. But for Niko Medved’s squad, this wasn't just about one lucky shot. It was about a 14-0 run by Wisconsin earlier in the half that turned a comfortable Gopher lead into a desperate chase.
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Who Actually Showed Up for the Gophers?
If you’re looking for silver linings, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is a good place to start. The guy was a beast inside, putting up 20 points and grabbing eight rebounds. He’s becoming the go-to post presence this team desperately needed.
Isaac Asuma also looked like the real deal. 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. He played with a level of poise that you just don't see from every sophomore. Then there’s Langston Reynolds, who quietly notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists.
- Jaylen Crocker-Johnson: 20 PTS, 8 REB
- Isaac Asuma: 17 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST
- Cade Tyson: 14 PTS (including the clutch game-tier)
- Langston Reynolds: 12 PTS, 10 AST
The problem? Depth. Or lack thereof.
Medved has been leaning on a seven-man rotation because of injuries, and you could see the fatigue setting in during the final ten minutes. Shooting 51.9% from the floor is usually enough to win a ballgame. But when you let the other team hit 42% of their threes and you struggle at the free-throw line (66.7%), you’re playing with fire.
The Brutal Reality of the Big Ten Standings
The Big Ten is a meat grinder this year. Look at the standings as of January 14, 2026. Nebraska and Purdue are sitting at the top, basically untouchable at 5-0 and 6-0 in the conference. Minnesota is stuck in that middle-of-the-pack logjam at 3-3.
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One win moves you into the top tier; one loss drops you toward the bottom with Maryland and Northwestern.
It’s frustrating because this team has shown they can hang with anyone. Remember the upset over No. 19 Iowa just a week ago? The Barn was electric. The fans stormed the court. It felt like the program had finally turned a corner. But back-to-back losses to USC and now Wisconsin have dampened that fire.
The rivalry with Wisconsin is becoming a mental hurdle, too. That’s ten straight losses to the Badgers. Ten. Since 2020, the Gophers haven't been able to figure out the Madison-based puzzle, and losing on a buzzer-beater at home is a tough pill to swallow for a fan base that’s been incredibly patient.
Defensive Lapses and Second-Half Struggles
Why did the lead evaporate? It wasn't one thing. It was a combination of Braeden Carrington—the former Gopher who transferred to Wisconsin—hitting back-to-back threes while the crowd booed him, and Minnesota suddenly finding it impossible to finish at the rim.
The Gophers held Wisconsin scoreless for a five-minute stretch in the first half. They went into the locker room up 35-28. They came out and pushed it to 41-30. Everything was clicking. But in the Big Ten, nobody stays down for long. Wisconsin’s 14-0 run was a clinical display of ball movement and transition scoring that caught Minnesota flat-footed.
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What's Next for the Gophers?
There’s no time to sulk. The schedule doesn’t get any easier.
Saturday, January 17, they head to Champaign to take on Illinois. Then it’s a trip to Columbus to face Ohio State on the 20th. These are "quadrant one" opportunities. If Minnesota wants to stay on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble—and yes, they are very much on the bubble right now—they need to steal at least one of these road games.
The NET rankings have been kind to them lately because of the strength of the Big Ten, but you can't live on "quality losses" forever. Eventually, you have to win the games you’re supposed to win, especially at home.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans Tracking the Season
If you're following the Gophers through the rest of January, keep an eye on these three specific factors that will determine if this season ends in the Big Dance or the NIT:
- Watch the Minutes: Asuma and Reynolds are playing heavy minutes. If Niko Medved can't find a way to get 5-8 minutes of production from the bench, the starters are going to keep hitting a wall in the final four minutes of games.
- Free Throw Consistency: Missing the front end of a one-and-one is essentially a turnover. In a three-point game like the Wisconsin loss, those points are the difference between a win and a heartbreak.
- The Return Game: Minnesota travels to Madison on January 28. That’s the "revenge" game. If they can go into the Kohl Center and snap that ten-game losing streak, the momentum shift would be massive.
The talent is there. The coaching is clearly improved. But in a conference where every night is a battle, the Gophers have to learn how to close the door when they have a lead. They’ll have their chance to prove they've learned that lesson this weekend in Illinois.
Keep your eyes on the box scores for the Illinois game on January 17; it's going to tell us a lot about the resilience of this locker room.