The best matchup of Wednesday’s college basketball slate is between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Missouri Tigers at 8:00 p.m. ET in Columbia, Missouri. This is the fourth matchup between Minnesota and Missouri, with the Gophers having a 2-1 series lead over the Tigers. The last time these two teams faced off was in November 2023, marking the first time they have played in Colombia since 1960.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Missouri is a -6.5-point favorite with Minnesota being a +250 underdog. Here is my best bet for tonight’s matchup between Minnesota vs. Missouri.
Minnesota vs. Missouri (8:00 p.m. ET)
After being a five-star prospect for the Duke Blue Devils, Mark Mitchell transferred to Missouri and had a productive junior season in 2024-25. However, this season, Mitchell has taken his game to the next level, averaging 20.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest while shooting 69.7 percent from the field. The Tigers also have a veteran backcourt with Jayden Stone and Anthony Robinson II.
Minnesota is in the first year of the Niko Medved era. Medved left Colorado State, went to Minnesota, and added 10 new players to the program in the offseason. In today’s era of college basketball, there is significant turnover from one year to the next, but the Golden Gophers are an extreme case. Through their first two games, North Carolina transfer Cade Tyson has led the way for Minnesota, averaging 25.5 points per contest. Minnesota only has three players who are averaging double-digit points in the first two games.
Although Missouri has six new players in the fold this season, it has a deeper roster with more upside than Minnesota. Last season, the Tigers started the season 10-0 on their home floor, and I expect that to continue tonight against the Golden Gophers. Mitchell will most likely be matched up against Tyson and must slow him down in order to pick up the victory.
