Gophers fall apart in loss to Iowa after Dawson Garcia exits

Minnesota led by as many as 20 points in the game.

Everything was going right for the Gophers men’s basketball team in the first half of Sunday’s matinee against Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Everything went wrong in the second half.

After scoring 18 points in the first half, Dawson Garcia appeared to take an elbow to the groin early in the second half. While he immediately stayed in the game, he checked out with 15 minutes, 45 seconds remaining, briefly went to the locker room and returned to the bench but never made another appearance in the game.

The Gophers were up 18 when he checked out and had a lead as large as 20 in the second half before the Hawkeyes rallied for a 90-85 victory in Iowa City, Iowa.

Patrick McCaffrey and Payton Sandfort led the comeback for the Hawkeyes (14-10, 6-7 Big Ten), converting in transition and hitting important and timely outside shots. McCaffrey and Sandfort finished with 21 points apiece.

The offense for the Gophers (15-8, 6-6) completely dried up down the stretch after beginning the game with one of their most efficient performances of the season. Garcia had 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting before the break. Mike Mitchell Jr. and Braeden Carrington had 11 points each before halftime, shooting a combined 7 for 11.

Minnesota led 51-38 at the break and its momentum continued into the second half, and even extended to Cam Christie, who hit a 3 early in the half, found a cutting Pharrel Payne for a bucket in the paint and later threw down an emphatic dunk.

Four players finished in double figures for the Gophers; Garcia and Carrington had 18 apiece, Mitchell scored 17 and Christie added 15. 

But none of that mattered as the Gophers saw their lead shrink and shrink until they found themselves behind in the final minutes.

The Gophers’ offense went completely dark as Iowa went on a 16-0 run to firmly take control of the contest. The Hawkeyes took a 78-77 lead with 4 minutes, 34 seconds remaining, their first since a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes of the game. Sandfort capped the run with a transition 3 that gave the Hawkeyes an 81-77 advantage.

The Gophers looked dejected as their lead slipped away. After Garcia left the court, it almost appeared as though Minnesota was just waiting for the game to end. Iowa, meanwhile, put everything it had into mounting the comeback. 

In the first half, it looked like the Gophers were going to post one of their most impressive wins of the season. Instead, it was one of their biggest collapses.