Garcia scores season-high 32 points and Minnesota completes rally to beat UCLA 64-61
Dawson Garcia scored a 27 of his season-high 32 points after halftime and Minnesota staged another dramatic rally this time beating UCLA 64-61 on Tuesday night.
Lu'Cye Patterson's layup with eight seconds left gave Minnesota the lead for good at 62-61. Garcia made two foul shots with .9 seconds to go to seal it. UCLA's desperation heave wasn't close.
Down 62-61, UCLA's Sebastian Mack was called for a charge trying to drive the lane with 1.3 seconds to go.
Minnesota took its first lead of the game when Patterson drove the lane to make it 60-59 with 1:02 remaining capping an 11-2 Minnesota run.
Mike Mitchell Jr, scored 14 points and Patterson 11 for Minnesota (14-12, 6-9 Big Ten).
Mack, a reserve, scored 13 points and Tyler Bilodeau and Kobe Johnson scored 12 each for UCLA (19-8, 10-6).
Lazar Stefanovic's jump shot midway through the first half gave UCLA its first double-digit lead at 18-7. Fueled by Mack, the Bruins then went on a 9-0 run in which he started it with a layup and a 3-pointer and UCLA extended its lead to 29-12. Minnesota responded by outscoring the Bruins 11-5 over the final five minutes of the first half to get within 34-23.
Out of the break, Garcia and Mitchell each made 3s in consecutive possessions and Minnesota drew within five. Mitchell's layup with 15:17 left reduced the Gophers's deficit to 36-33.
In its 69-66 win over USC on Saturday, Minnesota overcame a 14-point deficit, trailed for 35:48 and scored 40 points in the second half. Against UCLA, Minnesota overcame its largest deficit of 17 points, trailed for 37:41 and scored 41 points after halftime.
Minnesota hosts Penn State on Saturday.
UCLA hosts Ohio State on Sunday.
