Here’s how the shorthanded Golden Gophers men’s basketball started their exhibition game Wednesday night against Division III St. Olaf College – a game that they won 71-55.
- Ta’lon Cooper
- Will Ramberg
- Jaden Henley
- Pharrel Payne
- Treyton Thompson
That is no way is expected to be the starting lineup once the Gophers are fully healthy. Jamison Battle (foot surgery) is considered week-to-week, while Dawson Garcia (muscle strain) and Braeden Carrington (ankle sprain) are day-to-day.
Battle underwent foot surgery last Friday, Oct. 28. As Minnesota’s returning leading scorer he’s a lock in the starting five. Garcia is also a lock as a former 5-star recruit from Prior Lake who played at North Carolina last season before transferring to Minnesota to be closer to family.
Carrington, the reigning Minnesota Mr. Basketball after leading Park Center High School to a Class AAAA state championship, will definitely have a role in the lineup but it’s unclear if he’ll be a starter.
The guess here is that the starting five, when fully healthy, could look like this:
- Ta’lon Cooper (junior)
- Braeden Carrington (freshman)
- Jamison Battle (junior)
- Dawson Garcia (sophomore)
- Pharrel Payne (freshman) or Treyton Thompson (sophomore)
And if that’s not the five head coach Ben Johnson goes with, he could go big:
- Ta’lon Cooper 6’4” junior
- Jamison Battle 6’7” senior
- Dawson Garcia 6’11” sophomore
- Pharrel Payne 6’9” freshman
- Treyton Thompson 7’0” sophomore
Minnesota opens the season Monday night at home against Western Michigan.
