University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, February 3
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
14-7,5-5Big Ten
75
vs
66
Northwestern
15-7,6-5Big Ten
1
2
OT 1
F
Northwestern
27
34
5
66
Minnesota
27
34
14
75
Team Stats
NU
MINN
FG%
.382
.464
3FG%
.478
.304
FT%
.650
.762
RB
36
34
TO
17
12
STL
6
8
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
9
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Win Overtime Thriller Over Northwestern
2/3/2024 4:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball
All five starters scored in double-figures, led by Dawson Garcia's 20 points, and Minnesota (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) rallied from a nine-point second half deficit to record a 75-66 overtime victory versus Northwestern (15-7, 6-5 B1G) at Williams Arena.
Garcia scored 14 of his 20 points after halftime, and he was 9-of-11 at the free throw line. Cam Christie finished with 15 points and six rebounds, Pharrel Payne had 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds, and Elijah Hawkins recorded his third point-assist double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 assists for the Gophers. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 10 points and five rebounds.
Minnesota opened the game by making 4-of-7 field goals, including four points from Payne, to lead 8-7 at the first media timeout of the afternoon. Northwestern used a 7-0 run for a 14-8 lead, but the Gophers answered with a 7-0 run of their own to recapture a one-point edge with 9:10 remaining in the half. The Wildcats took advantage of a lengthy Minnesota scoring drought to put together a 13-2 run and build a 10-point lead, 27-17 with 3:46 left, but the Gophers closed the half on a 10-0 run capped by three-pointers from Christie and Hawkins to send the teams to the locker room tied 27-27. Minnesota's defense was key in the first half, as the Gophers forced 12 NU turnovers, which led to 15 points. Hawkins paced Minnesota with seven points and four assists at the break, while Garcia added six points and Christie had five. The tie score at the half marked the first time in 10 Big Ten games this season that the Gophers didn't trail after 20 minutes.
The Wildcats started the second half by knocking down three treys during a 13-4 run to reclaim a 40-31 lead and force a Minnesota timeout. But in this game of runs, the Gophers got three-pointers from Christie and Mitchell Jr. during an 8-1 run to cut the deficit to 41-39. Another three-pointer by Mitchell Jr. pulled the Gophers within one, 43-42, but an 8-2 spurt by NU expanded the Wildcats' lead back to seven. Northwestern led 54-46, but layups by Hawkins and Christie made it 54-50 with 3:35 left. A layup and two free throws by Garcia cut the lead to 55-54 with 1:40 remaining, and another pair of free throws by Garcia kept the Gophers within one with 1:08 left. Trailing 58-56, Christie drained a three from the left win to reclaim the lead for the first time since a 15-14 lead with 9:10 left in the first half. Hawkins made two free throws with 0:20 left for a 61-58 lead, but the Wildcats were able to get three free throws and send the game to overtime.
Payne opened the scoring in the extra period with a layup, and Garcia's first three-pointer of the afternoon put the Gophers up 66-63. After Minnesota got a stop on the defensive end, Garcia drew a foul and made both free throws for a 68-63 lead with 1:46 left in OT. Garcia added three more free throws for a personal 8-0 run and a 71-63 advantage, and a Payne dunk after the Gophers broke a press put the Gophers up by nine and sealed the Gophers' second-straight win.
It marked the fifth conference win for Minnesota, the most under head coach Ben Johnson's tenure. In his first year as head coach, Johnson's 2021-22 team had four wins.
Minnesota has a quick turnaround and plays Michigan State Tuesday. The game will be televised on Peacock and on KFAN 100.3 FM at 8 p.m.
Garcia scored 14 of his 20 points after halftime, and he was 9-of-11 at the free throw line. Cam Christie finished with 15 points and six rebounds, Pharrel Payne had 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds, and Elijah Hawkins recorded his third point-assist double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 assists for the Gophers. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 10 points and five rebounds.
Minnesota opened the game by making 4-of-7 field goals, including four points from Payne, to lead 8-7 at the first media timeout of the afternoon. Northwestern used a 7-0 run for a 14-8 lead, but the Gophers answered with a 7-0 run of their own to recapture a one-point edge with 9:10 remaining in the half. The Wildcats took advantage of a lengthy Minnesota scoring drought to put together a 13-2 run and build a 10-point lead, 27-17 with 3:46 left, but the Gophers closed the half on a 10-0 run capped by three-pointers from Christie and Hawkins to send the teams to the locker room tied 27-27. Minnesota's defense was key in the first half, as the Gophers forced 12 NU turnovers, which led to 15 points. Hawkins paced Minnesota with seven points and four assists at the break, while Garcia added six points and Christie had five. The tie score at the half marked the first time in 10 Big Ten games this season that the Gophers didn't trail after 20 minutes.
The Wildcats started the second half by knocking down three treys during a 13-4 run to reclaim a 40-31 lead and force a Minnesota timeout. But in this game of runs, the Gophers got three-pointers from Christie and Mitchell Jr. during an 8-1 run to cut the deficit to 41-39. Another three-pointer by Mitchell Jr. pulled the Gophers within one, 43-42, but an 8-2 spurt by NU expanded the Wildcats' lead back to seven. Northwestern led 54-46, but layups by Hawkins and Christie made it 54-50 with 3:35 left. A layup and two free throws by Garcia cut the lead to 55-54 with 1:40 remaining, and another pair of free throws by Garcia kept the Gophers within one with 1:08 left. Trailing 58-56, Christie drained a three from the left win to reclaim the lead for the first time since a 15-14 lead with 9:10 left in the first half. Hawkins made two free throws with 0:20 left for a 61-58 lead, but the Wildcats were able to get three free throws and send the game to overtime.
Payne opened the scoring in the extra period with a layup, and Garcia's first three-pointer of the afternoon put the Gophers up 66-63. After Minnesota got a stop on the defensive end, Garcia drew a foul and made both free throws for a 68-63 lead with 1:46 left in OT. Garcia added three more free throws for a personal 8-0 run and a 71-63 advantage, and a Payne dunk after the Gophers broke a press put the Gophers up by nine and sealed the Gophers' second-straight win.
It marked the fifth conference win for Minnesota, the most under head coach Ben Johnson's tenure. In his first year as head coach, Johnson's 2021-22 team had four wins.
Minnesota has a quick turnaround and plays Michigan State Tuesday. The game will be televised on Peacock and on KFAN 100.3 FM at 8 p.m.
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