KenPom rankings offer encouraging outlook for Gophers basketball in Year 2 under Niko Medved

The often-discussed KenPom.com ratings were updated for the 2026-27 college basketball season on Sunday afternoon, and the Gophers will begin the season with one of their highest ratings in years. At No. 42 in the preseason ratings, it’s clear that Minnesota has the potential for a breakout season in Year 2 under Niko Medved.

KenPom.com has been one of the most recognized analytical models for rating college basketball teams in the internet era of the sport. Minnesota has routinely ranked outside the top 75, or worse, since moving on from Richard Pitino as head coach in 2021. The Gophers haven’t finished a season ranked higher than 42 since they were No. 27 before the 2019-20 season was canceled due to COVID-19.

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Do KenPom ratings matter? Yes. The NCAA Tournament selection committee has referenced the numbers in its process for years, and they impact the overall perception of teams in the AP Poll and beyond.

The NCAA Tournament is expanding to 76 total teams in the 2026-27 season, which means there will be 44 at-large invitations to the field. At No. 42, Minnesota would project firmly as a bubble team this season. That projection is far different from the Columbus Dispatch’s preseason Big Ten media poll, which ranked the Gophers 13th in the conference last week, and Barttorvik.com, which ranks Minnesota 78th in the country.

The question then becomes: Do KenPom’s current projections include Cade Tyson? Minnesota’s leading scorer from last season currently has a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday that will likely be the final determination on his eligibility for the 2026-27 season. The Gophers’ outlook completely changes with him in or out of the lineup.

We’re just over three weeks from on-court results, and the Gophers will have a pair of exhibitions beforehand. They host Omaha at The Barn on Thursday, Oct. 15, and play at Creighton on Friday, Oct. 23. We will have more clarity on what could be a fun season in Dinkytown by the end of the month.

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Publish date : 2026-10-12 13:55:00

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