The Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team will look a lot different this winter than they did in Niko Medved’s first season as head coach.
So will their schedule, as he continues to build up a legitimate non-conference schedule that will make it easier for the Golden Gophers to prepare for Big Ten play, and eventually qualify for the NCAA Tournament, which they have not done since 2019.
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In the last week, Medved has added two teams to the 2026-27 schedule for November. The first was much anticipated locally, a matchup against cross-town little brother St. Thomas, who just converted from division III to division I in the last five years.
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Minnesota Gophers add Cal Golden Bears to 2026-27 schedule
On Thursday, another game was put on the upcoming November slate for the upcoming season. This time, it’s a neutral site contest at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD against the ACC’s California Golden Bears on November 28, according to college hoops insider Rocco Miller (bracketeer.org).
Related: Gopher Basketball Catching Up Fast in NIL Race
While the Tommies are a cute little club, especially for their recentent induction into big boy basketball. However, Cal is a Power Four school that’s coming off its best season in nearly a decade.
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Coached by former Minnesota Timberwolves power forward, Mark Madsen, the Golden Bears are coming off of a 2025-26 season where they finished 22-12 and narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament.
The Gophers, meanwhile, finished their 2025-26 season 15-8 (8-12) and even landed a spot in the College Basketball Crown Tournament, where they lost in the first round to Baylor.
Minnesota vs Cal men’s basketball history
Minnesota hasn’t played Cal in men’s basketball since December 16, 1995 — a 70-67 loss at Williams Arena. The only other matchup between the two schools came one year earlier, in Oakland, another loss (82-75).
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Both matchups were close but the Golden Gophers will look to get one in the win column for the first time ever against the Golden Bears this November.
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