Gophers Resume Rivalry: Asuma Leads 76-62 Win Over St. Thomas

The 92-year gap between contests made Friday night's meeting in Minneapolis a rare historical footnote in college basketball. The Golden Gophers used that context to dominate the St. Thomas Tommies, securing a 76-62 victory in their first clash since 1934.

Isaac Asuma led the scoring with 20 points, sinking four of the team's 11 three-pointers. His shooting sparked a 16-0 run late in the first half that gave Minnesota a 33-16 lead. St. Thomas struggled to find rhythm, hitting only two of 18 field goal attempts during the final 11 minutes of that half. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson added 16 points and 10 rebounds, extending the advantage to 45-24 with a three-pointer in the opening minute of the second half.

Nolan Groves contributed 15 points and three three-pointers off the bench, while Grayson Grove recorded 10 points and nine rebounds. The Gophers (2-0) enter this game following an 85-50 win over North Dakota. They now hold a 99-6 record against Summit League opponents. For St. Thomas (1-1), Jeremy Lorenz scored 13 points and Hayden Tibbits added 12. The Tommies began the season with an 87-78 victory over Presbyterian.

St. Thomas cut the deficit to seven points twice in the second half. Minnesota answered the first push with a 9-0 run and scored five straight points after the second. Kyan Evans provided the final margin with his only made three-pointer, putting Minnesota ahead 72-60 with three minutes remaining.

This game marked the first time the teams have played since St. Thomas began competing at the Division I level in 2021. When the schools were both at the Division III level between 1907 and 1934, Minnesota was 6-1 against St. Thomas. St. Thomas is predicted to finish second in the Summit League this year. The Tommies host Green Bay on Sunday, while Minnesota plays at Cincinnati on Monday.