University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, March 9
Evanston, IL
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
18-13,9-11Big Ten
66
at
90
Northwestern
21-10,12-8Big Ten
1
2
F
Minnesota
41
25
66
Northwestern
53
37
90
Team Stats
MINN
NU
FG%
.491
.586
3FG%
.438
.556
FT%
.778
.800
RB
27
27
TO
10
1
STL
1
6
Game Leaders
Pts
30
FGM
13
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Fall in Regular Season Finale
3/9/2024 11:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Dawson Garcia had game-high totals of 30 points and nine rebounds and Elijah Hawkins finished with 14 points and 10 assists for his fifth point-assist double-double of the season, but Northwestern (21-10, 12-8 Big Ten) shot 58.6 percent from the field in a 90-66 win versus Minnesota (18-13, 9-11 Big Ten) on Senior Night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Garcia made 13-of-19 field goals to reach 30 points in a game for the third time this season, all in Big Ten play, and he added three blocked shots to go with his nine rebounds. He also had 29 points at Illinois, and has scored at least 20 points 11 times. Hawkins, who heads into next week's Big Ten Tournament with a school-record 224 assists, recorded his sixth game this season with double-digit assists. Braeden Carrington added eight points for the Gophers, while Pharrel Payne finished with six rebounds, five points, and two blocked shots, Mike Mitchell Jr. had five points, and Parker Fox had four points. As a team, Minnesota made 26-of-53 (.491) field goals, including 7-of-16 (.438) three-pointers. But Northwestern took advantage of its home rims by making 34-of-58 (.586) field goals, including 10-of-18 (.556) from long-range.
Minnesota fell behind 15-4 to start the game, with Garcia making the Gophers' only two field goals in their first 10 attempts, but Hawkins hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and Garcia added a three-point play to cut it to 15-10. Garcia scored on a jumper and then added a three-pointer, giving him 12 points, and pulling Minnesota within 17-15 with an 11-2 run. The Wildcats scored four-straight to stretch the lead to 21-15, but Braeden Carrington knocked down a three-pointer and Fox dunked to make it 23-20. Northwestern used a 9-2 run to build its first double-digit lead at 32-22 before Hawkins hit his second three of the game from the left corner with 7:21 left. But the Wildcats connected on back-to-back three-pointers to expand the lead to 38-25. Northwestern added two more from long-range, making it five-straight three-pointers and pushing the lead to 44-29, but Mitchell Jr. connected from beyond the arc to cut the lead to 12 points. A 6-2 Gophers run pulled the Gophers within 48-38 with 2:09 left, but NU once again pushed the lead to 15 points before Hawkins' third three-pointer sent the Gophers to the locker room trailing 53-41.
Garcia made 7-of-9 first-half field goals to lead the team with 16 points and six rebounds, while Hawkins had 11 points and five assists. The Gophers made 16-of-30 (.533) field goals, including 6-of-10 from three-point range, but Northwestern was a sizzling 21-of-30 (.700), including 7-of-11 (.636) from deep. It was the third game this season that NU shot 70 percent in a half.
The Wildcats opened the second half with a 5-0 run, including their eighth three-pointer in 12 attempts, to extend the lead to 17 points at 58-41, but Garcia answered with a layup and a three-point play to go over 20 points in a game for the 11th time this season. Northwestern stretched the lead to 64-47, but Garcia scored on a bank shot and a layup to reach 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting and make it 64-51. Fox scored on a fast-break layup after an incredible blocked shot by Payne, cutting the lead to 66-53, but the Wildcats scored five-straight for an 18-point lead with 12:48 remaining. Minnesota kept battling, getting a jumper by Hawkins and a three-point play by Garcia to trim the deficit to 71-58 with 11:05 left, The teams then went almost four minutes without scoring, missing a combined 13 consecutive field goal attempts. Carrington broke the field goal drought with a lengthy three from the top of the key to cut it to 72-61 with 6:53 remaining, but NU responded with a 13-2 run to expand the lead to 22 points and earn a split in the season series.
Minnesota will open play at next week's Big Ten Tournament, played this season at the Target Center in Minneapolis, on Thursday, March 14. Opponent and time will be determined on Sunday after the completion of the league's regular season.
Garcia made 13-of-19 field goals to reach 30 points in a game for the third time this season, all in Big Ten play, and he added three blocked shots to go with his nine rebounds. He also had 29 points at Illinois, and has scored at least 20 points 11 times. Hawkins, who heads into next week's Big Ten Tournament with a school-record 224 assists, recorded his sixth game this season with double-digit assists. Braeden Carrington added eight points for the Gophers, while Pharrel Payne finished with six rebounds, five points, and two blocked shots, Mike Mitchell Jr. had five points, and Parker Fox had four points. As a team, Minnesota made 26-of-53 (.491) field goals, including 7-of-16 (.438) three-pointers. But Northwestern took advantage of its home rims by making 34-of-58 (.586) field goals, including 10-of-18 (.556) from long-range.
Minnesota fell behind 15-4 to start the game, with Garcia making the Gophers' only two field goals in their first 10 attempts, but Hawkins hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and Garcia added a three-point play to cut it to 15-10. Garcia scored on a jumper and then added a three-pointer, giving him 12 points, and pulling Minnesota within 17-15 with an 11-2 run. The Wildcats scored four-straight to stretch the lead to 21-15, but Braeden Carrington knocked down a three-pointer and Fox dunked to make it 23-20. Northwestern used a 9-2 run to build its first double-digit lead at 32-22 before Hawkins hit his second three of the game from the left corner with 7:21 left. But the Wildcats connected on back-to-back three-pointers to expand the lead to 38-25. Northwestern added two more from long-range, making it five-straight three-pointers and pushing the lead to 44-29, but Mitchell Jr. connected from beyond the arc to cut the lead to 12 points. A 6-2 Gophers run pulled the Gophers within 48-38 with 2:09 left, but NU once again pushed the lead to 15 points before Hawkins' third three-pointer sent the Gophers to the locker room trailing 53-41.
Garcia made 7-of-9 first-half field goals to lead the team with 16 points and six rebounds, while Hawkins had 11 points and five assists. The Gophers made 16-of-30 (.533) field goals, including 6-of-10 from three-point range, but Northwestern was a sizzling 21-of-30 (.700), including 7-of-11 (.636) from deep. It was the third game this season that NU shot 70 percent in a half.
The Wildcats opened the second half with a 5-0 run, including their eighth three-pointer in 12 attempts, to extend the lead to 17 points at 58-41, but Garcia answered with a layup and a three-point play to go over 20 points in a game for the 11th time this season. Northwestern stretched the lead to 64-47, but Garcia scored on a bank shot and a layup to reach 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting and make it 64-51. Fox scored on a fast-break layup after an incredible blocked shot by Payne, cutting the lead to 66-53, but the Wildcats scored five-straight for an 18-point lead with 12:48 remaining. Minnesota kept battling, getting a jumper by Hawkins and a three-point play by Garcia to trim the deficit to 71-58 with 11:05 left, The teams then went almost four minutes without scoring, missing a combined 13 consecutive field goal attempts. Carrington broke the field goal drought with a lengthy three from the top of the key to cut it to 72-61 with 6:53 remaining, but NU responded with a 13-2 run to expand the lead to 22 points and earn a split in the season series.
Minnesota will open play at next week's Big Ten Tournament, played this season at the Target Center in Minneapolis, on Thursday, March 14. Opponent and time will be determined on Sunday after the completion of the league's regular season.
Highlights: Gophers 80, NDSU 54
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