North Texas leads Minnesota most of the way, holds off Golden Gophers 54-51 to move to 3-0
MINNEAPOLIS -- — Rondel Walker scored 14 points and undefeated North Texas led for most of the way and held off Minnesota for a 54-51 victory on Wednesday night.
Dawson Garcia scored six points during an 8-2 surge to pull Minnesota to 52-51 with 30 seconds left. Isaac Asuma blocked Brenen Lorient’s layup attempt on the ensuing possession, but Lu’Cye Patterson’s 3-point shot hit the back of the rim and the Mean Green's Johnathan Massie grabbed the rebound.
Following a North Texas timeout with 3 seconds to go, Lorient added a dunk and Patterson’s midcourt heave bounced off the backboard.
Lorient added nine points for the Mean Green.
Garcia shot 6 of 9 from the field, made all 10 of his free throws and finished with 24 points to lead Minnesota (2-1). He entered three points shy of 1,000 career points with the Golden Gophers, the first do so since Daniel Oturu in 2020. Garcia has 1,516 points overall.
Minnesota was 15-of-38 shooting (31%), committed 13 turnovers and missed seven (15 of 22) of its free-throw attempts. Patterson added nine points on 3-of-14 shooting.
Minnesota shot just 14% in the first half, missing 18 of 21 field goals and trailed 23-14 at the break. Brennan Rigsby hit a 3-pointer at the 15:41-mark and the Gophers didn't hit another field goal until Garcia's second-chance layup with 3:15 remaining in the half.
Rigsby's 3-pointer gave the Golden Gophers their only lead, 43-42, with 7:27 left in the game.
It was the first meeting between the teams.
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Game Information
- Referees:
- Mike Reed
- Scott Brown
- Andy O'Brien
2024-25 American Athletic Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
East Carolina | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
North Texas | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Temple | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Tulane | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Tulsa | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Memphis | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
Wichita State | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
Charlotte | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
Florida Atlantic | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
Rice | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
UAB | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
UTSA | 0-0 | - | 1-1 |
South Florida | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |
2024-25 Big Ten Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Illinois | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Iowa | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Maryland | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Nebraska | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Oregon | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Penn State | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Purdue | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
USC | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Wisconsin | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
Indiana | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
Ohio State | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
Rutgers | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
Michigan State | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
Minnesota | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
Northwestern | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
UCLA | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
Washington | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
Michigan | 0-0 | - | 1-1 |