Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino said freshman Jordan Murphy could be the face of the program in the future.
The 6-foot-7 forward proved he might be one of the team's best players right now with 19 points and nine rebounds in his debut Sunday. The University of Minnesota men's basketball won its exhibition opener 74-57 over Minnesota-Crookston at Williams Arena.
Murphy, a San Antonio native, got off to a slow start with four points in the first half off the bench, but Minnesota still took a 30-26 halftime lead.
The Gophers, who play their second and final exhibition game Friday against Southwest Minnesota State, shot just 41 percent from the field and went 0 for 7 from the free-throw line in the first half.