Cade Tyson Returns to Minnesota Gophers Basketball
The University of Minnesota has its leading scorer back on campus — and back in the gym.
Cade Tyson, the 6-foot-7 guard/forward who carried the Gophers’ offense last season, has rejoined the men’s basketball program for the 2026-27 campaign. He’s enrolled in classes and will practice with the team while his eligibility status is finalized.
Head coach Niko Medved didn’t hide his satisfaction at seeing Tyson return to the program.
"We're excited to have Cade rejoin our program," Medved said. "We're here to support him in any way we can through this process and are looking forward to having Cade around the facility and program."
That presence is no small thing. Tyson wasn’t just good last year — he was the engine.
He led Minnesota in virtually every major scoring category:
- 19.6 points per game
- 628 total points
- 191 field goals made on 382 attempts
- 175 made free throws on 213 attempts
- A heavy workload of 36.7 minutes per game
Those numbers earned him All-Big Ten honorable mention, NABC Second Team All-District honors, and Academic All-District recognition. Production and reliability, wrapped in one player.
Tyson arrives at this second stint in Minneapolis with a seasoned résumé. He’s already logged four years of college basketball: two at Belmont, one at North Carolina, and one at Minnesota. Across those 124 games, he has piled up 1,621 points, 213 three-pointers, and 528 rebounds — the profile of a veteran who knows how to score from all three levels and survive the grind of a long season.
For Medved and his staff, the immediate task is clear: integrate Tyson back into the daily rhythm of the team while the eligibility process plays out. For the players, it means sharing the floor again with a proven closer who can tilt games with a hot stretch.
Minnesota’s buildup starts soon. The Gophers host an exhibition against Omaha on Oct. 15 before opening the regular season at home against North Dakota on Nov. 2.
By then, the question around Williams Arena won’t be who Cade Tyson is. It will be how far his return can push this Minnesota team.
