Garcia helps Minnesota win game in Big Ten Tournament; Francis’ team falls in first round of DII tournament

By R.L. Bynum

Dawson Garcia had a few big games in a challenging first season at Minnesota and enjoyed one last one at the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.

In the first round Wednesday, Garcia put up his third double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds in addition to six assists as the No. 14-seed Gophers beat No. 11-seed Nebraska 78–75.

In the second round Thursday, though, Garcia had six points, two rebounds and four assists as the Gophers lost to No. 6-seed Maryland 70–54 to finish their season 9–22.

Garcia missed seven games, nearly a month, after suffering a bone bruise in his right ankle against Michigan on Jan. 22. After Minnesota opened the season with wins in four of its first five games, and won back-to-back December games, the Gophers didn’t win consecutive games after that.


Jeremiah Francis’ Emmanuel College took a 16-game win streak into the NCAA Division II Tournament after winning the Conference Carolinas title the weekend before.

The Lions (23–8) had to play on the home court of regional No. 1 seed Augusta on Saturday in the first round, though, and lost 83–74.

Francis, who started all 29 games he played in his junior season and averaged 8.1 points, ended his junior season with two points, four rebounds and two assists.


Andrew Platek’s last college season ended with six consecutive losses.

Platek had five points and four rebounds as his No. 4-seed Siena team lost 71–65 in the quarterfinals of the MAAC Tournament in Atlantic City, N.J., on Wednesday to No. 5-seed Niagara.

The Saints finished 17–15, with Platek averaging a career-high 10.4 points, with career-highs of 68 3-pointers and a 43.3% 3-point shooting percentage.

Platek’s first Carolina season was 2017–18, when he was in the freshman class with Garrison Brooks, Sterling Manley, Walker Miller and Brandon Huffman.


Kerwin Walton’s season ended at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City the way his last two regular-season games went — with a Texas Tech loss he watched from the bench.

The No. 9-seed Red Raiders’ 78–62 first-round loss to No. 8-seed West Virginia on Wednesday was their fourth in a row as they finished 16–16 with Coach Mark Adams resigning following “racially insensitive” comments to a player.

Checking in on 4 former Heels

Jeremiah Francis, Emmanuel College guard

6–1, 190 pounds | Junior | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)

83–74 Saturday NCAA Division II Tournament loss at Augusta — Started; 29 minutes, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 1 turnover
Season statistics — 29 games, 29 starts, 8.1 points, 39.6% FG, 33.3 3FG%, 69.6 FT%, 2.9 rebounds; totals of 77 assists, 27 steals and 1 block
Season over — Emmanuel College finished 23–8 as Conference Carolinas champion.


Dawson Garcia, Minnesota forward

6–11, 230 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2020–21 (part of 1 season)

78–75 Wednesday Big Ten Tournament win vs. Nebraska — Started; 40 minutes, 18 points, 7–13 FG, 2–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 13 rebounds, 3 fouls, 6 assists, 2 turnovers
70–54 Thursday Big Ten Tournament loss vs. Maryland — Started; 32 minutes, 6 points, 2–7 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 4 assists, 1 turnover
Season statistics — 26 games, 26 starts, 15.3 points, 45.7 FG%, 34.5 3FG%, 71.4 FT%, 6.7 rebounds; totals of 56 assists, 18 steals, 17 blocks
Season over — Minnesota finished the season 9–22.


Andrew Platek, Siena guard

6–4, 208 pounds | Graduate student | UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)

71–65 Thursday MAAC Tournament loss vs. Niagara — Started; 24 minutes, 5 points, 2–9 FG, 0–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover, 2 steals
Season statistics — 32 games, 32 starts, 10.4 points, 45.1 FG%, 43.3 3FG%, 59.1 FT%, 2.5 rebounds; totals of 46 assists, 28 steals, 5 blocks
Season over — Siena finished the season 17–15.


Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech guard

65, 200 pounds | Junior | UNC 2020–22 (2 seasons)

78–62 Wednesday Big 12 Tournament loss vs. West Virginia Didn’t play
Season statistics — 27 games, 7 starts, 3.6 points, 45.3 FG%, 41.1 3P%, 87.5 FT%, 0.9 of a rebound; season totals of 12 assists, 5 steals, 5 blocks
Season over — Texas Tech finished the season 16–16.


Photo via @GopherMBB

Leave a comment