MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Niko Medved stood in a crowd that swarmed the Williams Arena court after Minnesota upset Indiana in his Big Ten debut, beaming during his postgame television interview that was broadcast through the sound system for all the fans to hear.
“I'm where I fell in love with the game,” Medved said, glancing toward the seats he used to sit in as a kid as he tried to process the enormity of the milestone on his new job with the program he not only grew up a few miles away from but served as a student manager to launch his coaching career.
Medved turned to yell, “Go Gophers!” at the students who had surrounded him for congratulations and selfies after the 73-64 victory Wednesday night that handed the 22nd-ranked Hoosiers their first loss under their new coach, Darian DeVries.
“What a night,” Medved said. “It’s really hard to be prouder of a group of young men than I am of these guys.”
With injuries sidelining two starters and three reserves, the Gophers (5-4) took the court at far less than full strength. They had three players pick up four fouls apiece. Leading scorer Cade Tyson played the entire game, and Isaac Asuma and Langston Reynolds each played 38-plus minutes.
“You’re going to be tired. You’re going to be sore. You’ve just got to make the next play. Hey, guys want to play a lot of minutes, right? That’s not too bad.”
Minnesota’s first month under Medved has hardly been smooth. Three players, including California transfer B.J. Omot, have not been available at all. Starting center Robert Vaihola was sidelined by a knee injury four games ago, and starting point guard Chansey Willis Jr. just had season-ending surgery on his foot after breaking it last week. The Gophers lost last month at Missouri and dropped neutral-site games to San Francisco, Stanford and Santa Clara.
“I told them, ‘People are going to count you out,’” Medved said. “We’ve got to find a way to just be as good as we can be.”
Grayson Grove, one of only two players who remained from last season after Medved replaced Ben Johnson, ran down Hoosiers standout Tucker DeVries to block his dunk attempt with the Gophers trailing 29-22 late in the first half. That play came early in a stretch of 8:38 without a basket for Indiana that lasted well after intermission, the type of crowd-boosting, statement-making contribution from a redshirt freshman in a limited role that transcends the boxscore column.
Though the attendance was counted at just 8,582, less than 60% capacity in another sign of how much work Medved has to do to make the Gophers relevant again in not only the Big Ten but the robust Twin Cities entertainment market, the fans made their voices heard when it counted. And they had plenty of big plays to cheer for.
“It’s not like some magical speech you go into or whatever. You try to empower your guys to believe," Medved said. "They're the ones who are doing the work. They're the ones who are diving on the floor. They're the ones who are fighting through the screens.”
DeVries and Medved, two of four new head coaches in the conference this season along with Ben McCollum at Iowa and Buzz Williams at Maryland, both used stops at Drake as stepping stones to the Big Ten. McCollum did, too.
The Hoosiers (7-1, 0-1), who were averaging nearly 90 points per game before this, posted their season-low score. They have another tough test Saturday in Indianapolis against No. 6 Louisville.
“It was going to happen at some point, but the main thing now is now that you’ve lost one, how do you respond?” DeVries said. “We have a group that’s pretty connected. We have some guys who’ve played a lot of basketball. I expect them to come ready.”
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Indiana guard Lamar Wilkerson (3) shoots over Minnesota forward Nehemiah Turner (4) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota guard Isaac Asuma (1) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Raphinha scored a brace as Barcelona beat Osasuna 2-0 to increase its La Liga lead on Saturday and pile more pressure on beleaguered Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso.
The Brazil forward broke the deadlock with a shot from the top of the area in the 70th minute at Camp Nou. He then put the result beyond doubt by scoring from close range with six minutes remaining.
A seventh league win in a row left the defending champions seven points clear of Real Madrid before its game at Alaves on Sunday. That is likely a must-win game for Alonso after the powerhouse has won just two of its last eight games across all competitions.
Madrid had led Barcelona by five points in the Spanish league after winning a clasico match in late October. But a huge dip in form with just one win in five rounds, including a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo at home last weekend, has left Madrid reeling.
Relishing the trouble of Barcelona's top rival, the Camp Nou crowd chanted “Stay Xabi! Stay Xabi!” in Spanish at one point during the Osasuna match.
Raphinha, however, stayed focused on his team.
“We need to focus on ourselves and if we do our job then we won’t have to worry about anyone else,” Raphinha said. “We are playing better than before and the more points, the better.”
Raphinha was key to Barcelona winning La Liga and Copa del Rey last season, when Hansi Flick’s side also reached the Champions League semifinals.
Barcelona struggled to replaced his speed and incisiveness when Raphinha was sidelined with a leg injury for six weeks earlier this campaign. But he has returned as strong as ever. He also assisted in a 3-1 victory over Alaves in late November and scored in a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid earlier this month.
Sixteenth-placed Osasuna generated little in attack but its defense and goalkeeper Sergio Herrera frustrated Barcelona until Raphinha struck. Herrera saved a shot by Lamine Yamal while Marcus Rashford's goal-bound effort was blocked by a defender.
Raphinha's first goal came after Barcelona recovered the ball and Pedri González led a counterattack before laying off for him to score from distance. His second was easier: a tap-in after Osasuna defender Alejandro Catena redirected a cross from Jules Koundé to the far post where Raphinha was unmarked.
Antoine Griezmann scored the winner after coming off the bench to help fourth-placed Atletico beat Valencia 2-1 and stay nine points behind Barcelona.
Griezmann replaced Julián Álvarez with half an hour to go with Atletico leading after Koke Resurrección scored from a rebound in the 17th.
Lucas Beltrán pulled the visitors level in the 63rd with a shot from outside the area as the Argentine striker skirted past a defender and lashed a long strike just inside the post.
Griezmann restored the lead in the 74th at the Metropolitano Stadium when he used an exquisite control, hooking down a long ball with the tip of his boot, before he fired in the winner.
The 34-year-old Griezmann has taken a more limited role with Atletico this season, but he is still proving to be decisive. The former France star scored two goals as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Levante last month and also netted after coming on in the second half against Sevilla and Real Madrid.
His winner against Valencia increased his record haul for Atletico to 204 career goals.
The loss for Valencia will increase the pressure on coach Carlos Corberán with the team in 17th place just on the edge of the relegation zone.
Leandro Cabrera’s header helped Espanyol beat Getafe 1-0 on the road and secure a fourth consecutive league win.
Espanyol is the surprise of the season approaching the winter break. The Barcelona-based team is in fifth place after 16 rounds, having barely avoided relegation on the final day of last season.
Also, Mallorca beat Elche 3-1. The game was tied 1-1 until Elche keeper Iñaki Peña gifted the ball to Mallorca’s Omar Mascarell, who lobbed the ball over Peña's head from near midfield for the go-ahead goal in the 82nd.
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Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Osasuna in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Froem the left, Barcelona's Ferran Torres,Raphinha and Marcus Rashford hug after a goal during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Osasuna in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Osasuna in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Osasuna in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Raphinha and Lamine Yamal celebrate after a goal during a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Osasuna in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
