Gophers cruise to win over Bethune-Cookman at quiet Williams Arena

Dawson Garcia scored a game-high 23 points as Minnesota bounced back to snap a two-game skid.

Minnesota center Trey Edmonds shoots as Bethune-Cookman forwards Kalil Camara and Jarrell Love, left, defend during the first half at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Dec. 1, 2024. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson was animated during a timeout in the second half of Sunday's game against Bethune-Cookman. The Wildcats had opened the half on a 8-0 run, cutting their 12-point deficit down to four.

Johnson was frustrated with the lack of focus, and the message was fixing that and paying attention to the details.

"It was a big powwow about just our focus level, our details," Johnson said. "And there's a standard that they have to have of themselves, and it was just getting back to that standard."

The message certainly resonated and was well-received. The Gophers went on a 10-0 run out of the timeout, and not long after, they took a lead as large as 28 points. Bethune-Cookman never got back within single digits, and the final result was a 79-62 Gophers victory at an unusually quiet Williams Arena — Thanksgiving weekend and a Minnesota Vikings game across the river left attendance noticeably sparser than the announced number of 7,314 — in Minneapolis.

The run featured a 3-pointer and transition layup from Dawson Garcia, a Parker Fox dunk and a 3-pointer from Brennan Rigsby. A 5-0 run from the Wildcats (2-6) brought them within 11, but that was as close as they'd get the rest of the way.

Garcia led the Gophers (6-3) with a game-high 23 points, five rebounds and four assists. Rigsby added 14 points.

Trey Thomas and Brayon Freeman led Bethune-Cookman with 18 points apiece.

Trey Edmonds was a spark plug off the bench for Minnesota. He had an early hook shot, and Isaac Asuma also found him for a monster dunk during a 13-2 Gophers run that put them up 21-11 midway through the first half. Edmonds scored all nine of his points in the opening 20 minutes, including a putback and transition layup. He also finished with six rebounds.

The Gophers were efficient from the field, shooting 48%, and they made 11 of 23 from 3-point range (48%). It was an all-around team effort with the Gophers assisting on 25 of their 29 made shots. Minnesota also dominated the boards 39-24.

"We got out in transition and that helped out getting the ball moving," Rigsby said. "Just playing at a different pace, we weren't as slow getting, moving even in the halfcourt. Ball just wasn't sticking, and that translated to easy shots, easy buckets and we got 25 assists."

The U had just 10 turnovers.

Caleb Williams made his debut for the Gophers, hitting a late 3-pointer in the final minute, his only attempt of the game.

The schedule certainly gets tougher for the Gophers, beginning Wednesday with their first Big Ten game against Michigan State. They host the Spartans for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff at The Barn.