Gophers men’s basketball had its second and final exhibition game of the 2026-27 season on Friday night at Creighton, and it was a thriller. Minnesota lost 89-86 in double overtime in Omaha. Here’s what you missed.

Final in Omaha
Creighton: 89
Minnesota: 86
Kyan Evans and Kai Shinholster left the game with injuries, but a statement performance from the Gophers. Game-high 32 points from Isaac Asuma. pic.twitter.com/zgQaqcZu21

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) October 24, 2026

Isaac Asuma’s career night

It doesn’t count in the record books, but Asuma’s 32 points are a career high at the college level. He hasn’t even scored more than 20 points in a regular-season game, so his performance was certainly eye-opening. He finished 11 of 22 from the field, 4 of 9 from three and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. He added five rebounds and two assists in 42 minutes of work. Thirty of his 32 points came in the second half or overtime, and he’ll now look to carry the momentum into Minnesota’s regular season.

Kyan Evans’ injury

Evans was limited to just 13 minutes on Friday night due to a hip injury. Minnesota reportedly took a precautionary approach, and the ailment is not expected to be anything too serious, but it’s never a good sign to miss any time due to an injury. He now has plenty of time to heal up before the Gophers’ regular-season opener on Nov. 2 against North Dakota.

Kai Shinholster’s key role

When Evans exited the game, Minnesota leaned on Shinholster to fill his role in the backcourt. The second-year guard had one of his best games in a Gophers uniform. He finished with 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field and 11 rebounds. It’s clear that he will be a key part of the Gophers’ rotation this season.

Other notes

Shinholster’s 11 rebounds stood out on the box score, and Texas Tech transfer guard Nolan Groves also had eight rebounds. The rebounding from Minnesota’s backcourt will add an interesting dynamic all season. Shinholster also had a minor injury in Friday’s game, but the Gophers will now have more than a week to heal up before the regular-season opener on Nov. 2 against North Dakota.

The most concerning stat of the evening was probably Minnesota’s 13 of 28 shooting from the free-throw line.

Source: Yahoo Sports