New Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved takes a personal moment before the national anthem in each game to reflect on the opportunity to be on the bench.

“(I) look up and be like, ‘Are you kidding me? They pay me to do this?’” Medved said. “I get to do the job that I love and I wanted to do. So blessed and so grateful.”

That level of appreciation was heightened Monday after the Roseville native, U alum, former Gophers student manager and old Minnesota assistant coach won his first game in charge of the Gophers, an 87-60 blowout of Gardner-Webb at Williams Arena.

“It is a little different here for me and coming back and walking into the arena for the game,” Medved continued. “I had a couple of moments. I remember my dad taking me to games through those main doors when I was a kid

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