Dawson Garcia hit a buzzer-beater from the mid-court brand as time expired to elevate Minnesota to an 84-81 additional time upset of No. 20 Michigan on Thursday night time. The desperation heave sparked a frenzied celebration inside Williams Enviornment because the Gophers (10-9, 1-6 Huge Ten) secured their first convention victory.
It was an final result that regarded extremely inconceivable within the first half because the Wolverines (13-4, 5-1) entered unbeaten in league play and favored by 9.5 factors. However Michigan had no reply for Garcia, who scored 18 of his game-high 27 factors within the second half and additional time because the Gophers rallied from a 40-31 halftime deficit.
Lu’Cye Patterson additionally had a season-high 22 factors, together with 15 within the second half, to assist the Gophers. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 20 for Minnesota, which by no means led by greater than three factors.
Garcia additionally hit a pair of game-tying free throws with seven seconds remaining in regulation to assist power additional time. The 6-11 ahead entered averaging a career-best 18.6 factors and seven.3 rebounds. The fifth-year star has been one of many few brilliant spots for a staff that misplaced in excruciating trend to Ohio State in its final residence sport and but to beat an opponent from an influence convention earlier than Thursday.
Michigan entered on the heels of three straight double-digit victories over Huge Ten opponents with first-year coach Dusty Might orchestrating a powerful turnaround for a program that completed 8-24 final season. However the Wolverines pressured simply six turnovers in opposition to the Gophers and struggled to include Garcia and Patterson in the course of the second half.