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.