Richard Pitino's Gophers men's basketball team left Monday for its first foreign trip since 2010.
It will be two days before the first of four exhibition games Thursday against club teams from Barcelona and Madrid. CAT Selection, Barcelona All-Stars, Torrejon All-Stars and Canoe NC make up the schedule.
Pitino doesn't know how competitive these opponents will be, but he hopes they will challenge his young team, which includes seven true freshmen and sophomores.
"All those guys really need to play," Pitino said last week. "It's exciting because we have to do a lot of teaching.