For the first time since 2022, the Wildcats have won a Big Ten Tournament game. No. 13 seed Northwestern (17-15, 7-13 Big Ten) defeated No. 12 Minnesota, 72-64, in Wednesday's first round of the 2025 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers play in the Big Ten Tournament against the Northwestern Wildcats. Wednesday's game will be the second meeting this season between the two teams.

Minnesota fired coach Ben Johnson early Thursday morning, in an announcement posted to social media at 2:19 a.m. ET, following the team's season-ending loss Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to Northwestern.

Johnson, 44, coached the Gophers for four years with one trip to the NIT and one winning season. This year, Minnesota finished 15-17 overall and 7-13 in Big Ten play but won five games on the road. Johnson was 56-71 in four seasons and 22-57 in league competition. He was 1-4 in the Big Ten tournament.

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson made progress last season, but key players entering the transfer portal set him and his team back. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The first round of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament is complete. Here is an updated look at the tournament bracket and television schedule

Purdue is the No. 6 seed in the Big Ten men's basketball tournament. Stay here for scores and highlights vs. USC.