Mike Mitchell Jr., Dawson Garcia lead Minnesota to 74-60 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson

MINNEAPOLIS — Mike Mitchell Jr. and Dawson Garcia scored 18 points apiece and Minnesota topped Fairleigh Dickinson 74-60 on Saturday.

Mitchell made 5 of 13 shots with two 3-pointers and 6 of 7 free throws for the Golden Gophers (7-5), who improved to 7-2 at home. Garcia hit 6 of 11 shots and all six of his foul shots. He added 10 rebounds and five assists for his third double-double this season. Femi Odukale and Lu'cye Patterson both scored 10.

Ahmed Barba-Bey sank three from distance and scored 15 to lead the Knights (4-10), who dropped to 0-9 on the road. Jo'el Emanuel totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double this season and the second of his career. Terrence Brown scored 10 on 4-for-22 shooting with six assists.

Neither team scored until Patterson buried a 3-pointer for Minnesota 2:33 into the game. Fairleigh Dickinson scored the next seven points and maintained a lead until Mitchell hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to put the Golden Gophers up 14-11 at the 10:24 mark. There were seven lead changes from there. The final one came on a basket by Chidube Ekwommadu with 16 seconds left to put the Knights up 21-20 at halftime.

The lead changed hands five times in the early minutes of the second half. Odukale hit a tying jumper that ignited a 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Brennan Rigsby and Minnesota led 45-30 with 10 minutes remaining and wasn't threatened from there.

Minnesota returns to action on Dec. 29 when it hosts Morgan State. Fairleigh Dickinson is idle until Saturday when it travels to play Boston College.

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