The Gophers men’s basketball team added Oregon transfer guard Brennan Rigsby on Wednesday, a first step in replacing outgoing starting point guard Elijah Hawkins. Rigsby committed to Minnesota after a visit to the U this week.
The 6-foot-3 guard from De Beque, Colo., averaged 6.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 36 games as a junior for the Ducks in 2023-24. He averaged 23 minutes a game and shot 40 percent from the field, including 35 percent from 3-point range and 69 percent from the free-throw line last season.
Rigsby played two years for the Ducks after starting at Northwest Florida State College as a freshman, so he has one season of eligibility remaining for the U.
Hawkins back-tracked this week from his verbal commitment to return to the U for his senior season next winter. The U is working to replace their starting point guard with a few perimeter players.
The Gophers have at least four vacant scholarship spots, including the slot vacated by transferring shooting guard Braeden Carrington. Those openings do not include starting guard Cam Christie, who said he is testing the NBA draft process while maintaining his collegiate eligibility this spring.
