MINNEAPOLIS — In a thrilling finish, Dawson Garcia confidently signaled for the ball even before he reached the center of the court. Once he received it, he launched a spectacular three-pointer from just beyond the center-court logo, clinching an 84-81 victory for Minnesota over the 20th-ranked Michigan Wolverines during an intense Big Ten matchup Thursday evening.
Garcia’s decisive shot came at the end of overtime and capped off a game where he was pivotal. Just moments prior to his three-point attempt, he had made a pair of free throws with 7.4 seconds remaining to help tie the game and send it into overtime. Throughout the contest, he battled fiercely inside against Michigan’s imposing seven-foot players, Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin. In a critical moment just before his buzzer-beater, Wolf scored a layup to equalize the score at 81 with only seven seconds left on the clock.
Before the tension of the final plays, Gophers coach Ben Johnson had set up a strategy for a last possession. Unfortunately, an inbounds pass from Lu’Cye Patterson was mishandled, thwarting their planned play. However, Patterson smoothly transitioned the ball up the court and found Garcia, who was trailing behind. Positioned near the “M” logo, the 6-foot-11 senior elevated for a breathtaking jumper that sailed through the net just as time expired, igniting an exhilarating celebration as fans and teammates flooded the court.
Johnson remarked on the play, noting the improvisation involved and how well his team understood the essence of their strategy: “It’s a little bit of a broken play, combined with they kind of know the concepts of what we’re trying to do,” he explained. “And they read it great.”
Initially, Patterson envisioned driving toward the basket himself but quickly adjusted to set up Garcia instead. “I was just trying to get to the cup,” he admitted, “But (Garcia) wanted it, and I lined it up for him. I trust him, you know, like he’s my brother, so it was a no-brainer for me.”
After the game, Garcia reflected on his remarkable shot distance, uncertain of how far he had been from the hoop when he made the attempt: “I didn’t know initially,” he said, laughing, “but I looked back and I was like, ‘I think I was at the logo!’”
Garcia’s impressive performance on the court culminated in a total of 27 points and 12 rebounds, making him instrumental in securing Minnesota’s first Big Ten win of the season, bringing their record to 9-10 overall and 1-6 in the conference.
