Gophers men's basketball beats Maine 80-62 to wrap nonconference season

No team in the Big Ten shares the ball better so far this college basketball season than Ben Johnson's Gophers, but the mindset early was to get one player going Friday night.

Not only was Dawson Garcia returning before Big Ten play becomes a priority, but the Gophers also wanted to get their leading scorer comfortable after missing three games with an ankle injury.

Garcia eventually got enough touches to make an impact, but the Gophers spread the ball around to finish with five players in double figures and 23 assists in an 80-62 victory against Maine at Williams Arena.

In their final nonconference game, the Gophers (10-3) kept the momentum going after an eight-day break by picking up their fifth consecutive victory entering Thursday's matchup at Michigan. The Wolverines lost 87-76 to McNeese State on Friday.

"I think they got really comfortable and just fell into their roles," Garcia said about his teammates while he was out. "It was fun to watch. It was killing me being on the sideline, but at the same time it was good to see everybody step up their game."

Garcia, who averages 18.2 points and 7.4 rebounds, finished with 12 points and six rebounds after his first game since suffering a left ankle sprain while playing just seven scoreless minutes in a Dec. 6 home victory over Nebraska.

"It was really good to be out there with the guys battling," Garcia said. "My ankle felt good, so it's about continuing to get that rhythm and that flow back."

The last time the Gophers played against a Big Ten opponent with Garcia healthy was when he had a career-high 36 points in a Dec. 3 loss at Ohio State, but they are now a much more balanced scoring team.

The Gophers were led Friday by Mike Mitchell Jr., who had 12 of his 18 points in the first half. Elijah Hawkins finished with 12 points and 10 assists. Pharrel Payne added 10 of his 12 points in the second half, to go with eight rebounds.

"I feel like it can be anyone on any given night," said Mitchell, who shot 5-for-8 for three-point range. "We all share the ball [so well]."

Maine (8-7) got within 43-38 in the second half after an 8-0 run, but Payne went to work in the paint. The 6-9 sophomore gained confidence starting three games in Garcia's place, so he was ready to carry the load inside when called off the bench Friday.

Payne powered his way to three straight baskets on the undersized Black Bears, including Garcia looking for his talented young teammate in high-low sets. That was a glimpse of a frontcourt tandem that could be a big factor in the Big Ten.

In the second half, Minnesota's 22-9 run was also aided by back-to-back threes from Cam Christie and an Isaiah Ihnen dunk that made it 65-47 with just under 18 minutes to play.

Christie had his older brother, Max, in attendance while in town with the Los Angeles Lakers to play the Timberwolves. He scored all his eight points in the second half.

The Gophers opened Friday with no assists on their first four field goals, but their next 12 baskets were assisted on entering halftime with a 13-point advantage. They shot 8-for-14 from three in the first half, but Johnson called the final play of the half to get Garcia his first basket in a few weeks.

"I expected that he wasn't going to be crazy sharp," Johnson said. "I just thought as the game progressed, he worked his way through it. I thought his effort and his intention was in the right place. It was definitely good to get that first game under his belt."