LOS ANGELES — In a thrilling matchup on Tuesday night, Dawson Garcia delivered an impressive performance for Minnesota, scoring 27 of his season-high 32 points after halftime, leading his team to a 64-61 victory over UCLA.

With just eight seconds remaining on the clock, Lu’Cye Patterson’s layup secured the lead for Minnesota, putting them ahead 62-61. Garcia then added two crucial free throws with just 0.9 seconds left, effectively sealing the game in Minnesota’s favor as UCLA’s final shot attempt missed the mark.

In a pivotal moment during the final seconds, Sebastian Mack of UCLA was charged with an offensive foul as he attempted to drive to the basket, resulting in a turnover with only 1.3 seconds remaining in the contest.

Minnesota’s comeback began when Patterson drove to the basket to regain the lead at 60-59 in the final minute, completing an impressive 11-2 run for his team. For Minnesota, Mike Mitchell Jr. contributed significantly with 14 points, while Patterson added 11 points. With this victory, Minnesota improves its season record to 14-12 overall and 6-9 in the Big Ten.

On the UCLA side, Mack scored 13 points off the bench, while Tyler Bilodeau and Kobe Johnson each chimed in with 12 points. The defeat leaves UCLA with a record of 19-8 and 10-6 in conference play.

In the first half, a jump shot from Lazar Stefanovic gave UCLA a commanding lead at 18-7, and a strong 9-0 run spearheaded by Mack allowed them to extend their advantage to 29-12. However, Minnesota fought back, outscoring the Bruins 11-5 in the closing minutes of the half, trimming UCLA’s lead to 34-23 at the break.

The second half saw Minnesota quickly chip away at the deficit, with Garcia and Mitchell sinking three-pointers in consecutive possessions to close the gap to five points. A layup by Mitchell further cut the lead to 36-33 with 15:17 left in the game.

This victory marks another impressive comeback for Minnesota, which previously rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat USC 69-66 on Saturday, where they had trailed for nearly 36 minutes and exploded for 40 points in the second half. Against UCLA, they faced their largest deficit of 17 points, trailing for over 37 minutes before scoring 41 points after halftime to secure the win.

Minnesota will look to build on this momentum when they host Penn State on Saturday, while UCLA prepares to face Ohio State at home on Sunday.