Monday night was a quality non-conference test for a Gophers team that has injected young talent into their roster. The Utah Utes made a late push into the NIT Tournament championship game and finished 23-12 last season.
Minnesota used strong three-point shooting and active defense to pick up a 78-69 win over an emerging Utah team. Freshman Gabe Kalscheur hit five three-pointers and scored 19 points, leading all Minnesota scorers. Amir Coffey added 14 points and six assists, while senior Jordan Murphy posted his second double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds.
Kalscheur has helped the Gophers defensively by creating deflections and playing as an active on-ball defender.