The Minnesota Golden Gophers are expected to have a much different look heading into the 2026-27 season compared to Niko Medved’s debut year at the helm.
Their non-conference slate is also taking shape in a new direction, as Medved continues to strengthen the schedule with quality opponents. The goal is to better prepare Minnesota for the rigors of Big Ten competition and improve its NCAA Tournament résumé. The Gophers have not reached the tournament since 2019.
Over the past week, Minnesota added two November opponents to its 2026-27 schedule. The most anticipated matchup locally is a showdown with St. Thomas, the crosstown program that has spent the last several years transitioning from Division III to Division I athletics.
Minnesota Gophers add Cal Golden Bears to 2026-27 schedule
Another matchup was added to Minnesota’s November schedule on Thursday. According to college basketball insider Rocco Miller, the Golden Gophers will face ACC foe California in a neutral-site game at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on November 28.
The contest gives Minnesota another quality non-conference test as Niko Medved continues to strengthen the program’s schedule ahead of Big Ten play.
While St. Thomas presents an intriguing local storyline as a program still relatively new to the Division I level, California offers a much different challenge. The Golden Bears are a Power Four program coming off their most successful season in nearly ten years.
Led by former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Mark Madsen, California posted a 22-12 record during the 2025-26 campaign and fell just short of earning an NCAA Tournament bid.
Minnesota, meanwhile, finished 15-18 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten play last season. The Golden Gophers also secured a berth in the College Basketball Crown Tournament, where their postseason run ended with a first-round loss to Baylor.
Minnesota vs Cal men’s basketball history
Minnesota and California have met only twice on the hardwood, with both contests ending in Golden Bears victories. Their most recent meeting came on December 16, 1995, when California edged the Golden Gophers 70-67 at Williams Arena. The first matchup took place a year earlier in Oakland, where the Bears earned an 82-75 win.
Although both previous meetings were tightly contested, Minnesota will have an opportunity this November to secure its first-ever victory against California and even the all-time series.
Leave a Reply