GOPHERS MEN'S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY

8 p.m. Monday vs. Western Michigan • BTN Plus, 1130-AM

Gophers update: The Gophers open the 2022-23 season, and Ben Johnson's second year as coach, with more optimism after last season's 13-17 finish (4-14 in the Big Ten). That's because the talent is bigger and more athletic, but they're young. Seven scholarship players are either freshmen or sophomores. The only returning player healthy enough for Monday's opener is sophomore big man Treyton Thompson, who played eight minutes a game last season. Top returning scorer Jamison Battle (17.5 points) is sidelined after foot surgery, so that means several nonconference games could go down to the wire. Fortunately for the Gophers, they don't leave home until the fifth game in late November.

Western Michigan update: Western Michigan finished 8-23 and 4-16 (last place) last season but was ranked eighth in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll. Senior guard Lamar Norman Jr. led the MAC in scoring last season with 19.8 points per game and made 101 three-pointers. Among the three returning starters is 6-foot-7 forward Markeese Hastings, who averaged 8.8 rebounds. First-year coach Dwayne Stephens got his first head coaching job after spending 19 seasons on Hall of Famer Tom Izzo's staff at Michigan State.