Figuring out how to win in the Big Ten was something that always seemed to escape the Gophers men’s basketball team, but the players never stop believing it would come.

Gophers fans also sensed something might be different Thursday night as the game came down to the final stretch against No. 20 Michigan.

With no timeouts in the waning seconds of a tied game in overtime, Lu’Cye Patterson took the inbounds pass and raced past midcourt. He wasn’t open, though, so he kicked the ball back to Dawson Garcia.

Garcia did just about everything for his team, so why not hit a buzzer-beater, too?

Garcia’s logo shot from a few steps inside the halfcourt line gave the Gophers their first Big Ten victory this season and first ranked victory under fourth-year coach Ben Johnson, 84-81 in overtime over the Wolverines in front of announced crowd of 8,877 at Williams Arena.

“Just a lot of emotions in how bad we wanted to win and seeing it come into fashion like that,” said Garcia, who had 27 points and 12 rebounds, including the tying free throws with 7.4 seconds left in regulation. “Lu’Cye trusts me to knock down the shot. Really just thankful for my teammates and God that I’m in that position.”

Danny Wolf’s layup tied the score for Michigan at 81-81 with 7 seconds left in OT, but Garcia wouldn’t let the Gophers lose. The 6-11 senior was swarmed by fans and his teammates after probably the biggest shot of his college career.

Patterson added 22 points and Mike Mitchell 20 for the Gophers, who only led for 8 minutes, 4 seconds. But they never trailed in OT, with Garcia calling for the ball as Patterson dribbled down the court on the game’s final possession.