Jan 16, 2025; Minneapolis MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers Dawson Garcia (3) takes the final shot in overtime from the halfcourt logo to beat the buzzer and push the Golden Gophers past the Michigan Wolverines.
The shot heard around the nation. This shot may not have a significant impact on the national rankings, but the Golden Gophers desperately needed it to change the direction of their season. The Golden Gopher men's basketball team has been anything but comfortable to watch this season, now sitting at a 9-9 record after this win. That brings the Gophers to 1-6 in Big Ten conference play. Any inspiration is greatly appreciated by the fanbase.
The Golden Gophers had an outstanding defensive game, recording nine steals and six blocks. While these numbers may not necessarily jump out to analysts, they soar in comparison to Michigan’s two steals and two blocks.
It will take defensive efforts like this to propel the team into further conference play, with some big-time games coming up on the schedule. In their next six games, Minnesota will face three nationally ranked teams in Oregon, Michigan State, and Illinois.
Fans have seen glimpses of this talent throughout the season. Even last year, the Gophers were a decent team with a strong start before stuttering to finish with a 19-15 record. This season, the star power is led by Dawson Garcia, the Minnesota native.
Garcia has played in big-time games at his previous stops with Marquette and North Carolina. This experience has helped him become a leader on the Gophers roster, contributing key buckets when the team needs it.
While winning the next few games isn't expected, this ranked win for the Golden Gophers proves that the team has the talent necessary to compete at a high level. For fans, the Michigan game proves that Gopher basketball is something to watch and support because the team thrives off the fans support. Minnesota will play at Iowa on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. CST.