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Gopher Coaches Show: Grayson Grove stepping up for injury-riddled roster

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Published  March 4, 2026 11:12am CST
The Gopher Coaches Show
FOX 9
Grayson Grove stepping up for injury-riddled Gophers

Grayson Grove stepping up for injury-riddled Gophers

This week on the FOX 9 Gopher Coaches Show, we catch up with Niko Medved and the University of Minnesota men's basketball team. The Gophers are 14-15, and 7-11 in Big Ten play with three regular season games left before the Big Ten Tournament. FOX 9's Ahmad Hicks and KFAN's Justin Gaard talk with Medved about the Gophers winning three of their past four games. Grayson Grove joins the show to talk about stepping up on a roster severely short-handed by injuries.

The Brief

    • The Gophers' men's basketball team is 14-15 on the season, and 7-11 in Big Ten play with largely only six players available due to injuries.
    • Alexandria native Grayson Grove has embraced the "next man up" mentality, starting and playing more than 30 minutes per game as the team's only healthy post player.
    • With two regular season games left and the Big Ten Tournament, the Gophers are hoping to extend their postseason.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team is 14-15 on the season, and 7-11 in Big Ten play with two regular season games to play before the Big Ten Tournament.

Niko Medved and the Gophers have been dealt a nearly impossible hand, with the five starters playing the bulk of the minutes due to a roster depleted by injuries. Minnesota has won three of its past four games, including Saturday’s 78-73 win over UCLA.

This week on the FOX 9 Gopher Coaches Show, Ahmad Hicks and Justin Gaard catch up with Medved about the season so far, and the Gophers playing through injuries.

Grayson Grove epitomizes next man up

What we know:

With three starters and six rotational players out due to injury, Grayson Grove is the Gophers’ lone big man in the rotation. Since Jaylen Crocker-Johnson went down with a foot injury, Grove is starting and playing more than 30 minutes a game. After redshirting last season, it’s a bigger role than he ever imagined this season.

"It’s been a lot, it’s been really fun. I think we’ve got a really good group of guys who love being here. We all have the same goals, so that’s made it a lot easier than it could’ve been with everything that’s happened injury-wise," Grove said.

Grove’s numbers won’t jump off the page. He’s averaging four points and 2.9 rebounds per game, but he’s Minnesota’s only inside presence, and making plays in pivotal moments. He didn’t score against UCLA, but had seven assists and zero turnovers. 

Medved joked that he looked like Bill Walton.

"I’m really happy to do whatever this team needs me to do to put us in the best position to win. We just really have that next man up mentality. It would be disrespectful of the game if I didn’t have that attitude every day," Grove said.

Postseason for Gophers?

Why you should care:

Minnesota is at Indiana Wednesday night and closes out the regular season Saturday, hosting Northwestern for Senior Night. Then, the Big Ten Tournament.

Barring an improbable run, the NCAA Tournament is likely not in the picture for the Gophers. But the NIT is a possibility if they can get above .500.

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