BCSNN — Just when it appeared Minnesota’s unbeaten start might come to an end, the Golden Gophers produced one final sequence that turned a deficit into a dramatic victory.
Bobby Durkin buried a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer Monday night, capping a late comeback and lifting Minnesota to a thrilling 63–61 win over Cincinnati. The game-winning shot completed a furious closing stretch in which the Gophers erased a late deficit and remained undefeated at 3–0.
Minnesota trailed 61–54 with just over two minutes remaining before mounting the decisive run. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson started the rally with a hook shot, and Kyan Evans and Issac Asuma followed with layups as the Gophers scored six unanswered points to cut the deficit to 61–60 with 14 seconds left.
The Bearcats then had opportunities to put the game away but couldn't capitalize. Myles Colvin and MJ Collins each missed the front end of one-and-one opportunities, opening the door for Minnesota's final possession.
After Collins' missed free throw, Asuma grabbed the rebound and quickly pushed the ball up the floor. He spotted Durkin racing into position and lofted a pass across midcourt. Durkin caught it in stride and launched a long-range attempt that splashed through the net as the horn sounded, giving Minnesota its first lead since early in the second half and touching off a celebration inside Williams Arena.
The comeback capped a career night from Evans, who delivered one of the best performances of his young career. The guard scored a career-high 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out five assists and knocked down three 3-pointers while shooting 11-for-19 from the field. Crocker-Johnson added 11 points, while Asuma finished with 10 points and the critical assist on the game-winning basket.
Cincinnati (2–1) controlled much of the second half behind Tylen Riley, who scored 16 of his 25 points after halftime. The Bearcats took the lead on Riley's 3-pointer with 14:03 remaining and later built their largest advantage at 49–41 with just over eight minutes to play. Tyler Tejada chipped in 10 points as Cincinnati appeared poised to leave Minneapolis with a road victory.
Instead, Minnesota continued chipping away before delivering the final blow. The Gophers stayed within striking distance long enough for Evans and the offense to make a late push, then capitalized when Cincinnati faltered at the free-throw line.
The victory keeps Minnesota unbeaten heading into its next matchup and provides an early-season signature moment for a team that has already shown resilience through its first three games. Sometimes the difference between a good night and a memorable one comes down to a single shot. On Monday, Durkin made sure Minnesota got the latter.
