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The Minnesota Gophers men's basketball team kicked off its 2026-27 preseason on Thursday night with a 72-52 exhibition victory over Omaha at Williams Arena. Newcomer Malick Kordel was perfect from the field, going 5-for-5 off the bench, and fellow newcomer Kyan Evans displayed the form he had before his UNC days. The Gophers dominated an overmatched Omaha squad as a Power 4 program typically does in a meaningless exhibition.
However, the mood on the bench was far from celebratory for last season's leading scorer, Cade Tyson. Tyson is enrolled in classes and practicing with the team, but he is not playing as he awaits a decision from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding his eligibility.
When Minnesota head coach Niko Medved was asked about Tyson after the game, he did not resort to typical coach-speak. Instead, the second-year head coach launched into a passionate critique of the current dispute involving the 2022 class and the broader eligibility landscape.
Medved's Fiery Critique
Medved spoke for over five minutes about the NCAA's new five-for-five rule, which was approved in June and grants college athletes five seasons to play within a five-year window. The rule, however, began this academic year and excludes players from the class of 2022, including Tyson. During his roughly seven-minute rant, Medved used phrases like 'it's a mess,' 'they ambushed us,' 'there are no enforceable rules,' and 'it's embarrassing.' He even suggested that the NCAA should reevaluate its legal team if it did not anticipate the consequences of the rule.
Medved questioned the NCAA's foresight, stating, 'And I just don't understand, if the NCAA, if they made this decision to throw this five-for-five on us whenever they did, and they decided not to include the class of 2022, and they didn't understand what was going to happen, boy, they better question who they have on their legal team. And maybe even worse, if they did know this was gonna happen, they should be ashamed of themselves to put players and coaches, you know, and just create the chaos. It's awful for the sport.'
He added, 'I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but it felt pretty easy to know what was going to happen.'
The coach pointed out that the rule cannot be enforced, leaving approximately 300 players from the 2022 class on rosters, with only about 100 currently eligible to play. Medved emphasized that Tyson and other fifth-year players seeking eligibility meet every qualification for the five-for-five rule.
Player Impact and Legal Battle
Medved expressed sympathy for Tyson, saying, 'And Cade, you know, I just, I don't know if a young man could handle the situation any better than he is. He's just a great guy, man. And it's a tough spot to be in. I mean, he's here, having no answers, not knowing what's going to happen. I think that's really, really difficult for him. I know he had a really hard time today having to sit and watch this and not be able to play.'
He also highlighted the inconsistency by referencing former Gopher Langston Reynolds, now at Northern Colorado, who is eligible under the same rule that Tyson is not. 'Now put yourself in Montana State's shoes,' Medved said, 'where your fate in your season, or maybe going to the NCAA tournament, depends on having a friendly judge? It's embarrassing.'
Tyson is one of the named plaintiffs in Wisne v. NCAA, a case he joined this summer seeking an additional year of eligibility. A federal judge in Colorado issued a nationwide injunction that would have made the 2022 class eligible, but the 10th Circuit stayed the injunction pending the NCAA's appeal. A three-judge panel heard arguments on Tuesday but has not yet ruled. Early analysis suggests the panel may reverse the injunction, which would be a blow to the players.
Tyson's absence is significant for Minnesota, as he averaged 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 32 games last season and led the team in scoring.
Broader Implications and Coaching Consensus
Medved acknowledged the perspective of programs that did not recruit 2022-class players and may oppose their eligibility, saying, 'There's merit to that.' But he consistently returned to the enforcement problem: 'But again, going back to the beginning, they can't enforce the rule. And I don't understand why they did what they did in the first place. I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but it felt pretty easy to know what was going to happen. So I just feel like right now, from where we're at, if there's this many kids that are going to be playing and the NCAA can't find a way to enforce it, then they need to let all of them play.'
He noted that a recent call with the National Association of Basketball Coaches board revealed that most coaches share his view. 'They fought the good fight, and it's just not working,' he said.
Medved also pointed to potential direct impacts on Minnesota's schedule, such as their game at Cincinnati on Nov. 9, where Bearcats guard MJ Collins—whom Medved called one of the better players in the Big 12—will be eligible. This comes after Ohio's governor issued an executive order this week granting eligibility to class-of-2022 athletes at Ohio schools. Medved expects more chaos: 'What's to stop others from doing it? I don't know where this is going but I have a feeling if you can even imagine that, it's actually going to get more chaotic.'
The Gophers play their final exhibition against Creighton in Omaha on Oct. 23, and the regular season opens Nov. 2. Whether Tyson participates in either game rests with the three judges on the 10th Circuit.
Originally reported by yahoo.