The Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team broke their winless streak in the Big Ten, earning their first ranked victory under fourth-year coach Ben Johnson. A dramatic 84-81 overtime win against No. 20 Michigan came courtesy of a stunning halfcourt buzzer-beater by senior Dawson Garcia.
A Game-Changing Moment
Garcia’s Heroics
With the score tied in overtime and no timeouts left, Lu’Cye Patterson raced down the court before handing the ball to Garcia. From a few steps inside the halfcourt logo, Garcia drained the game-winning three-pointer as the buzzer sounded. The crowd erupted, and Garcia’s teammates swarmed him in celebration.
“It’s been an awesome experience,” said Garcia, who finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and the tying free throws in regulation. “I’m thankful for my teammates and God for putting me in that position.”
Patterson and Mitchell Shine
Patterson scored 22 points, and Mike Mitchell added 20 for the Gophers, who led for just over eight minutes of the game but never trailed in overtime.
Breaking the Streak
Victory Over Adversity
Before Thursday night, the Gophers were 0-16 against ranked opponents under Johnson and had lost 18 consecutive games against ranked teams since 2021. Johnson reflected on the long road to this victory:
“It took four years to finally get something to go our way a little bit. Our guys have this togetherness. I’ve been telling people we’re close, and tonight we proved it.”
Key Moments
- Patterson hit a crucial three-pointer with 50 seconds left in regulation, giving the Gophers a 69-68 lead.
- Michigan’s Vlad Goldin missed a critical free throw, but the Wolverines regained the lead before Garcia’s free throws sent the game into overtime.
Michigan’s Efforts
The Wolverines (13-4, 5-1 Big Ten) saw their five-game win streak snapped despite strong performances:
- Danny Wolf led Michigan with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
- Goldin added 18 points, while Will Tschetter matched his season-high with 15.
A Turning Point for the Gophers
This victory could mark a new chapter for the Gophers (9-9, 1-6 Big Ten), who had shown promise but struggled to close out games. They hope to build on this momentum as they aim to climb the Big Ten standings.
