Garcia scores 30 and Minnesota wins its opener 80-57 over Oral Roberts
MINNEAPOLIS — Dawson Garcia scored 30 points and Minnesota defeated Oral Roberts 80-57 on Wednesday night in the season opener for both.
A three-point play by Josh Jones got the Golden Eagles within single digits — 38-29 — for the first time since early in the first half but Garcia and Parker Fox scored five points each to help the Gophers push their lead to 50-33 with 13 1/2 minutes left.
Minnesota continued to extend its lead as Oral Roberts could not put a rally together. The Golden Eagles went the final 15 minutes without scoring consecutive baskets.
Fox scored 13 points and Lu'cye Patterson added 10 for Minnesota. It was Garcia's fourth career game of 30-plus points.
Issac McBride had 15 points and Carlos Rosario 12 for Oral Roberts.
In the first half, it took the Golden Gophers a couple of minutes to get on the board on a jumper by Garcia, but they rolled to a 29-8 lead in the next 10 minutes. A three-point play by Rosario got Oral Roberts within 10 points with two minutes left in the half.
Garcia scored 18 points in the half and the Gophers led 38-24 at the break.
Minnesota went 19-15 last season and is looking to reach 20 wins for the first time in Ben Johnson's four years as coach. The Gophers have increased their Big Ten win total in each of Johnson's previous seasons.