Many national pundits reacted to the Gophers men’s basketball team’s stunning upset over No. 20 Michigan on Thursday night, but none were bigger than college basketball legend Dick Vitale.
“(Minnesota) gets their (first Big Ten win) in dramatic fashion giving (Michigan its first loss) in conference action on a last-second long 3 in OT at buzzer by 6-11 star veteran DAWSON GARCIA, who had 27,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The @GopherMBB gets their 1st @B1GMBBall W in dramatic fashion giving @umichbball 1st L in conference action on a last second long 3 in ot at buzzer by 6’11 star veteran DAWSON GARCIA who had 27.
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) January 17, 2025
Vitale has been battling cancer since 2021, but it was announced that he will be returning to the broadcast booth later this season for a Duke-Wake Forest game on Jan. 25. He is one of the most recognizable personalities in college basketball, so his shoutout for the Gophers is not without significance. He wasn’t the only one to show the U some love.
NCAA college basketball analyst Andy Katz interviewed Dawson Garcia after his game-winning shot Thursday night.
“As soon as I inbounded the ball, I was just yelling (Lu’Cye Patterson’s) name, and luckily he trusted me and he passed it to me. As soon as I let it go, I knew it was cash,” Garcia told Katz in a Zoom interview.
Caught up with @GopherMBB Dawson Garcia, who hit the shot of the season thus far in @B1GMBBall with a logo 3 at the buzzer to knock off @umichbball (@MarchMadnessMBB @BigTenNetwork): pic.twitter.com/3MHqBTlC6A
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) January 17, 2025
“I felt like it was almost like an energy spark, just to continue to keep this thing rolling. This is what we were fighting for every day in practice and coming up close, but falling short,” he continued. “As soon as that shot went in, it was just an overwhelming sense of emotion and just thankfulness.”
There hasn’t been much going right this season for the Gophers, who started 0-6 in Big Ten play after dropping three games in the nonconference slate. Thursday night’s win over a top-20 team in Michigan has brought some good vibes, and some national attention, to a program and fanbase that hasn’t had much to cheer about over the last eight months.
Related: Gophers earn national praise after shocking Michigan with buzzer-beater win
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