An All-MAC guard is coming to Minnesota
With one final scholarship remaining, the Gophers landed a late transfer. Tyler Cochran is coming to Minnesota from Toledo.
The MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year is a Gopher!
Welcome to Minnesota, Tyler Cochran!
: https://t.co/IFxORSSIeQ pic.twitter.com/NO9LcJYoNM
— Minnesota Men’s Basketball (@GopherMBB) July 1, 2024
Cochran has bounced around for his collegiate career. Out of high school in Illinois he played his first two seasons at Northern Illinois before transferring to Ball State for 1 season and then Toledo for two. This offseason he had previously committed to Oregon State before decommitting and now landing at Minnesota.
Tyler Cochran
Pos: G
Ht: 6’2”
Wt: 225
Cochran started for the Rockets, leading them to a 20-win season and a MAC regular season title. He was third on the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game, led the team in rebounding with 6.4 per game, shot just under 35% from three and was the MAC co-defensive player of the year.
The theme for this year’s additions is clearly experience and Cochran brings that along with being able to a lot of the little things very well. Minnesota has added a guard from a good mid-major program who can defend and has mastered the art of defensive rebounding as an undersized guard.
Whether Ben Johnson landed Cochran in April or in July, I am thrilled with this addition.
What is next?
Unless something unusual happens, the roster is set for the season. Cochran makes this team better is will certainly be a significant contributor in the upcoming season.
The kid just has a nose for finding the ball and it leads to baskets. Watching some video of him, I wouldn’t say he is a dynamic scorer, but he is a capable scorer. A player who finds extra possessions and baskets for his team with timely steals, savvy decision making and finding his teammates. A glue-guy who makes everyone better.
I look forward to seeing him on the second unit while Dawson Garcia remains on the floor and possibly Caleb Williams as an outside scoring threat. Cochran will find the scorers and he, along with Frank Williams, will do the little things to spur runs that frustrate the opponent.
The Gophers are now deeper and even more experienced.