Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson said his team is ready to start their new season, and the bulk of workouts will begin next week.

Johnson is entering his fourth season with the Gophers, and if they can build off their success from year three, they will be in good shape. The Gophers won 19 games last season and picked up a first-round win in the NIT.

***Click the video box above to hear full comments from Ben Johnson about the upcoming season***

“The work of becoming a winner was established,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday. “To win nine league games, to win 19 games, to get postseason in the NIT and win a game on the road, there was a lot of winning that went into that,” Johnson said.

The Gophers have two exhibition games before their season starts, they host Bemidji State on October 19 and Hamline on October 29.