MINNEAPOLIS — Dawson Garcia led the Golden Gophers with a standout performance, scoring 24 points, while Trey Edmonds contributed 12 points off the bench, helping Minnesota secure a 68-64 victory against Omaha on Saturday.

With just under six minutes left in the game, Isaac Asuma sparked a momentum shift for Minnesota by sinking a 3-pointer. Following that, Edmonds converted two free throws, and Brennan Rigsby delivered a powerful dunk, propelling the Gophers on a 7-0 run. This surge put Minnesota ahead 61-57, allowing them to maintain the lead for the remainder of the contest.

In the final minute, Garcia made one of two free throws, which was followed by a missed jump shot from Omaha’s JJ White after a timeout. To regain the lead, Lu’Cye Patterson made two critical free throws for Minnesota, extending their advantage to 68-64 with just 19 seconds on the clock.

Omaha struggled in the closing moments, missing four attempts from beyond the arc, despite grabbing three offensive rebounds in that same possession during the last 18 seconds of the game.

Kamryn Thomas was the top scorer for Omaha with 14 points, while Marquel Sutton added 13 points, and both Isaac Ondekane and reserve player JJ White chipped in with 10 points each. Omaha had a slight edge at halftime, leading 33-30.

Overall, Minnesota’s shooting performance was somewhat inconsistent, as they made 25 out of 55 attempts from the field. However, they managed only 3 of 17 from 3-point range and hit 15 of 26 from the free-throw line.