University of Minnesota Athletics
Monday, November 7
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
1-0,0-0Big Ten
61
vs
60
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Western Michigan
0-1,0-0MAC
1
2
F
Western Mich.
26
34
60
Minnesota
35
26
61
Team Stats
WMU
MINN
FG%
.348
.431
3FG%
.235
.444
FT%
1.000
.391
RB
40
42
TO
10
16
STL
8
4
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
4
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Open 2022-23 Season with a Win Over Western Michigan
11/7/2022 11:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Dawson Garcia led all players with 23 points and Ta'Lon Cooper narrowly missed a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds to lead Minnesota (1-0) to a season-opening 61-60 win versus Western Michigan (0-1) at Williams Arena.Â
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Garcia made 8-of-16 field goals including 3-of-5 from three-point range and added seven rebounds in 31 minutes. Cooper dished out eight of his 10 assists in the first half and became the first Minnesota player with a point-assist double-double since Payton Willis versus Penn State on Feb. 12, 2022. Making his first collegiate start, Will Ramberg tied Cooper with a team-high eight rebounds to go with four points.Â
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Minnesota made 5-of-7 field goals to start the game, with each of the five starters scoring to open a 12-4 lead. But WMU battled back by making four three-pointers during a 14-6 run to tie the score at 18-18 with 6:45 remaining in the half. With the score tied at 20, Garcia scored 10 points including a pair of three-pointers during a 13-4 run, and the Gophers enjoyed a 35-24 lead at the break. Garcia led the Gophers with 12 first-half points, while Cooper had seven points, eight assists and five boards at the half.Â
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Garcia and Cooper kept things going in the second half, as the two combined to score Minnesota's first 13 points. A 9-1 run by the Broncos cut the deficit to 42-37 with 12:20 remaining, but Minnesota was able to maintain a lead of six to 11 points until WMU put a scare in the Gophers by outscoring them 10-2 over the final 1:56.
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Garcia made 8-of-16 field goals including 3-of-5 from three-point range and added seven rebounds in 31 minutes. Cooper dished out eight of his 10 assists in the first half and became the first Minnesota player with a point-assist double-double since Payton Willis versus Penn State on Feb. 12, 2022. Making his first collegiate start, Will Ramberg tied Cooper with a team-high eight rebounds to go with four points.Â
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Minnesota made 5-of-7 field goals to start the game, with each of the five starters scoring to open a 12-4 lead. But WMU battled back by making four three-pointers during a 14-6 run to tie the score at 18-18 with 6:45 remaining in the half. With the score tied at 20, Garcia scored 10 points including a pair of three-pointers during a 13-4 run, and the Gophers enjoyed a 35-24 lead at the break. Garcia led the Gophers with 12 first-half points, while Cooper had seven points, eight assists and five boards at the half.Â
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Garcia and Cooper kept things going in the second half, as the two combined to score Minnesota's first 13 points. A 9-1 run by the Broncos cut the deficit to 42-37 with 12:20 remaining, but Minnesota was able to maintain a lead of six to 11 points until WMU put a scare in the Gophers by outscoring them 10-2 over the final 1:56.
Minnesota returns to the court when it plays host to St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday, Nov. 11, at 6:00 p.m., and the game will be streamed via B1G+.
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