Gophers overpower UTSA 102-76 behind 14 three-pointers

Two minutes into his college career, freshman Cam Christie scored his first basket for the Gophers men's basketball team. His smooth shooting stroke caught all net on a three-pointer.

And Christie did it again and again on his next two shots. Forget about feeling nervous.

Two games back after missing two years with injuries, junior Isaiah Ihnen didn't miss a shot, along with nailing five threes Friday. Forget about feeling rusty.

Christie, a four-star recruit from Illinois, got off to a hot start in his debut with 13 of his 18 points in the first half. Ihnen, the longest-tenured Gophers player, had 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting in a 102-76 win vs. Texas San Antonio in front of 6,973 at Williams Arena.

Dawson Garcia finished with 22 points to lead the Gophers (2-0), who shot 55% from the field. But the story of the night was Christie and Ihnen combining for nine of the team's 14 threes.

"I've been waiting for this moment," said the 6-6 Christie, who missed practice for a month with mononucleosis. "Just to play in front of the amazing fans and be out there with my teammates who I've been with from day one. It was a great experience."

Ihnen, who has been with the program since 2019, had waited even longer for his moment in the spotlight while sitting out with senior Parker Fox after back-to-back knee injuries. The German native's first start in three years came Friday after replacing big man Pharrel Payne, who was sidelined with a minor foot injury.

"It's surreal," Ihnen said. "I didn't even know if there would ever be the day, I would be back here playing in a Gophers jersey ... Being able to compete and having earned the trust of my coaches and teammates — it's huge."

The Gophers (2-0) had five players score in double figures, shot 28-for-34 from the foul line and won the rebounding battle 43-32 against a bigger UTSA squad.

Elijah Hawkins, who is 5-11, was two points and two assists shy of a triple-double after grabbing a team-best 10 rebounds. He led a speedy attack that produced 24 fast-break points.

In the second half, Ihnen scored seven straight points, including back-to-back threes on assists from Hawkins and Christie, who combined for 12 of the team's 21 assists.

"Isaiah took good shots — and when he takes good shots he makes them," Gophers coach Ben Johnson said. "We've got to just keep emphasizing sharing the ball."

The most impressive aspect of Christie's first appearance in maroon and gold Friday was that he had been out sick for much of October, which included the closed scrimmage at Colorado State. He was finally cleared to practice last Thursday, but he missed the opener.

It didn't take long for Christie to get comfortable Friday. After missing his first jumper around the 15-minute mark, Christie watched the next three drop from beyond the arc.

Pulling up at the top of the key, Christie's third three in a row made it 24-13 with 12 minutes left in the first half. Minnesota fans cheered as he went to the bench — and when his last three of the game helped the Gophers score 100 points for the first time since 2020.

"It didn't come as a surprise to us," Ihnen said. "We've seen it every day in practice. It's just who he is."