MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Parker Fox scored 16 points off the bench to spark Minnesota to a 58-47 win over Cleveland State on Tuesday night.
The Gophers (4-1), playing their fifth game in 13 days to open the season, were locked in another tight battle, holding a 50-47 lead with less than four minutes to go. But the Vikings (3-3) missed their last eight shots after and Je’Shawn Stevenson 3-pointer with 4:18 to play and didn’t score after Stevenson cut it to a three-point game with two free throws at 3:51.
Dawson Garcia and Brennan Rigsby both had 13 points for the Golden Gophers and Isaac Asuma had 13. Femi Odukale had 12 rebounds, three assists, 3 steals and three blocks to go with one basket.
Garcia had a season-opening streak of 20-point-plus games end and Minnesota ended a string of three games decided by four points or less.
Fox, who was 7-of-11 shooting, had his best scoring night in two seasons at Minnesota after starting his career at Northern State.
Tevin Smith had 10 points for Cleveland State, which found the Golden Gophers’ defense difficult to crack. Minnesota was allowing just 57.8 points a game. The Vikings lost 101-53 at Michigan to open the season and also lost at Kansas State by 13.
Cleveland State led a majority of the first half but not by more than five points. Fox had a dunk and Garcia had four free throws to put Minnesota up 28-27 with a minute and a half to go. Smith put the Vikings up with a jumper before Fox beat the buzzer with a 3 for a 31-29 halftime lead.
The Vikings tied the game three times in the second half but never lead.
The Golden Gophers end a season-opening six-game homestand against Central Michigan on Monday before going to Florida for the ESPN Events Invitational where they will face their first Power Four opponent.
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