MINNEAPOLIS — Dawson Garcia scored 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting, and Minnesota held off a second-half surge by Oregon to secure a 77-69 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Gophers built an early 18-point lead, watched it slip away early in the second half, then regained control behind Garcia’s hot hand and a strong inside presence from Parker Fox.

Fast Start for Minnesota

Minnesota raced ahead 26-8 with 12:41 left in the first half. Garcia drained two early 3-pointers, while Fox provided back-to-back tip-ins and dunks to energize the home crowd. The Golden Gophers capitalized on second-chance opportunities and forced multiple Oregon turnovers, widening the gap before the Ducks adjusted. Brandon Angel (18 points) and Jackson Shelstad (15 points) helped Oregon chip away, closing the halftime margin to 44-38.

Oregon’s Brief Lead

Oregon opened the second half with a flurry, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Jadrian Tracey and a pair of inside baskets by TJ Bamba. The Ducks grabbed their first lead, 46-44, at the 17:45 mark. Bamba, who finished with 15 points and a team-high four assists, converted a fast-break layup plus the foul, momentarily turning the tide for Oregon. However, Minnesota quickly responded: Garcia and Femi Odukale combined for key baskets in the lane, restoring a slim Gophers advantage.

Garcia Seals It Late

A seesaw battle ensued, with Minnesota relying on Garcia’s scoring and Fox’s rebounding (13 points, 11 boards) to stay ahead. Mike Mitchell Jr. dished out 10 assists to orchestrate the Golden Gophers’ offense, which shot 52.6% from the floor. Oregon’s perimeter attempts went cold down the stretch, and costly turnovers in the final minute hampered the Ducks’ comeback hopes. Garcia’s emphatic dunk with seven seconds remaining capped the Gophers’ win, putting an exclamation point on his 31-point night and securing Minnesota’s 77-69 victory.

Both teams enjoyed stretches of momentum—Oregon notched 17 fast-break points while Minnesota claimed a 35-26 rebounding edge. The Ducks (22-for-48, 45.8%) shot well in spurts but were undone by 12 turnovers and a 34.8% mark from beyond the arc. Besides Angel and Shelstad, Bamba also scored 15 for Oregon, going a perfect 5-for-5 at the line. Despite being outshot at the stripe (81% to 61%), Minnesota used balanced offense and timely defensive stops to earn the hard-fought win.

The loss drops Oregon to 16-4 on teh season and 5-4 in Big Ten play.