Men’s hoops took home $175,000 from Bahamas

Nov 22, 2012; Paradise Island, BAHAMAS; Duke Blue Devils guard Quinn Cook (2) dribbles as Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Joe Coleman (11) defends during the 2012 Battle 4 Atlantis in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Duke won 89-71. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Gophers men’s basketball team said it was a business trip.

Andre Hollins and Co. backed it up by placing fifth in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas and earning a $175,000 check in the process.

No. 14 Minnesota beat then-No.19 Memphis and Stanford, but lost to eventual tournament champion Duke in the opening round.

George Markantonis, president of the Atlantis mega-resort, gave all eight teams $150,000 for playing and $2 million in additional prize money.

The championship game members each receive $200,000, the third- and fourth-place teams each get $50,000 and fifth- and sixth- place teams get another $25,000.

Minnesota’s basketball team is already the 16th-highest grossing program in the country, bringing in $14.2 million and nearly $10 million in profit behind a dense, and aging, alumni base.