Dawson Garcia buzzer-beater sends Gophers past Michigan in OT, 84-81

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It took seven tries to get there, but the University of Minnesota men’s basketball team beat No. 20 Michigan Thursday night for its first Big Ten win of the season.

The Gophers did it in the most dramatic of ways. With the game tied 81-81 in overtime, Dawson Garcia hit a 35-foot shot from the Minnesota logo to lift the Gophers over the Wolverines 84-81.

The play

What happened: Danny Wolf had just scored to tie the game with seven seconds left in overtime. Lu’Cye Patterson got the inbounds pass and almost went out of bounds. He got the ball across half-court before finding a trailing Garcia, who was begging for the ball. He got it, and it hit nothing but the bottom of the net for a walk-off victory. He was mobbed by teammates and a few hundred fans sitting in the lower bowl where the students sit.

Big Ten Network play-by-play man Cory Provus, who also calls Minnesota Twins' games during baseball season, had the call Thursday.

"IT'S GARCIA, LET'S IT GO, FOR THE WIN… DAWSON GARCIA!! BOTTOM!! BALLGAME! GOPHERS WALK IT OFF AND BEAT MICHIGAN IN OVERTIME!"

It was Garcia’s second make of the night from three-point range as he led the Gophers with 27 points. Garcia was one of four players from last year to return this season, and turned down bigger opportunities at other schools to come back to Minnesota.

Patterson added 22 points, six rebounds and three assists, including the final assist to Garcia. Mike Mitchell Jr. had 20 points and four assists.

Gophers finally beat a ranked team

Why it matters: The Gophers are now 1-6 in Big Ten play, and finally broke through after close losses to Ohio State and Maryland. Michigan came in unbeaten in league play at 5-0, and it’s Ben Johnson’s first win over a ranked team as Minnesota’s coach in three-plus seasons.

The schedule

What’s next: The Gophers are off this weekend and are at Iowa next Tuesday night.