Minneapolis, MN- In an overtime thriller against No. 20 Michigan, Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia came up clutch, hitting buzzer-beater three propelling the Gophers to an 84-81 upset over the ranked Wolverines.
DAWSON GARCIA AT THE BUZZER!!!!!
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 17, 2025
DRAMA AT THE BARN!
MINNESOTA UPSETS MICHIGAN!
Michigan dominated early, as they led 40-31 by halftime. The Wolverines showed strong performances from both Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin. Wolf excelled in the paint, ending the night with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Goldin had 18 points and 8 boards.
This would soon be changed in the second half as the Gophers began to mount a comeback. Dawson Garcia, with a season-high of 27 points and 12 rebounds, was an essential player in tightening the lead.
Late in the second half, Danny Wolf hit a three-pointer with only 28.9 seconds left in regulation, putting Michigan ahead by 2 (71-69) and seemingly sealing the game. The Gophers knew they had to think and play fast. Dawson Garcia called his own number, and drove toward the basket with 7.4 seconds left, getting fouled in the process. Keeping a calm composure, Garcia knocked down free throws, sending the game into overtime, at 71-71.
Michigan struck first in overtime as Wolf came away with fast points.Minnesota retaliated as Dawson Garcia and Lu’Cye Patterson hit important shots to regain the Gopher lead. Throughout OT, both squads struggled to truly pull away, as Wolverines and Gophers could not receive a lead by more than a single possession.
Minnesota Lu’Cye Patterson hit a fadeaway jumper, but Wolf answered back in the paint.
The tension in the Williams arena began to rise, as the score was now tied (81-81) with under a minute to go.
As time ticked away, Michigan saw a chance at victory. Unfortunately, the Wolverines fell under the pressure of the Gophers’ defense, turning it over to become Minnesota ball.
With only 7 seconds left and no timeouts, Lu’Cye Patterson sprinted down the court, swinging the ball behind him to a wide open Dawson Garcia. With less than a second left, Garcia launches a deep three from the logo.
A hush fell over the crowd. As the buzzer sounded, everyone inside the Williams Arena felt their hearts in their throats, until the shot landed inside the net. “DAWSON GARCIA, BOTTOM, BALL GAME! GOPHERS WALK IT OFF!” shouts the broadcast crew as the bench clears and the student section unloads onto the court.
Garcia’s late game heroics helped secure the Gophers’ first Big Ten conference win of the 24′-25′ season and the program’s first win over a top-25 team since 2021.
The “Go-Ahead Gophers” will travel to BIG-10 Rival Iowa, where they will face off against the Hawkeyes on Tuesday, January 21. Tip-off is slated for 9:00 P.M. EST.
Cover Photo Credits: MLive.com
