Mike Mitchell Jr., out and Dawson Garcia questionable for Gophers men's basketball game Wednesday vs. North Texas

Gophers lose two big men to a knee injury and a tweaked ankle

The Minnesota Gophers men's basketball team will be without forward Mike Mitchell Jr. for Wednesday's game against North Texas due to a knee injury he suffered in Saturday's win over Alcorn State. Mitchell is the Gophers' second-leading scorer and rebounder this season, averaging 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Senior center Dawson Garcia is questionable for the game with a tweaked ankle he suffered in practice on Monday. Garcia is the Gophers' leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points per game.

The Gophers are already without forward Jamison Battle, who is out for the season with a foot injury. The loss of Mitchell and Garcia would be a major blow to the Gophers, who are 6-2 this season. North Texas is 4-5 this season, but the Mean Green have won their last three games.

Joey Hauser will likely start in place of Mitchell

With Mitchell out, Joey Hauser is likely to start at power forward for the Gophers. Hauser is a 6-foot-9, 235-pound junior who is averaging 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season. Hauser is a good shooter and rebounder, and he can also put the ball on the floor and create his own shot. He will need to step up in Mitchell's absence.

If Garcia is unable to play, Pharrell Payne is likely to start at center for the Gophers. Payne is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound sophomore who is averaging 4.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game this season. Payne is a good rebounder and defender, but he is not as good of a scorer as Garcia. He will need to play well if the Gophers are going to win without Garcia.

The Gophers will need to play well to win without Mitchell and Garcia

The Gophers will need to play well to win without Mitchell and Garcia. They will need to rebound the ball well, defend well, and make shots. They will also need to get good production from their bench. The Gophers have a good team, but they will need to play their best to win without their two leading scorers.