By Cole Swafford | CSwaff Media
Photography by Cole Swafford | CSwaff Shots

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Nearly 37 years after Cincinnati opened the doors to its new basketball arena with a dramatic three-pointer against Minnesota, the Golden Gophers returned the favor Monday night.

Minnesota’s Bobby Durkin buried a deep three-pointer as time expired, stunning Cincinnati 63–61 in front of 10,419 fans at Fifth Third Arena and completing a remarkable comeback that silenced a once-electric home crowd.

The finish carried an almost unbelievable historical connection.

On November 25, 1989, Cincinnati opened what was then known as the Shoemaker Center against Minnesota. In Bob Huggins’ first game leading the Bearcats, Steve Sanders connected on a late three-pointer to give Cincinnati a 66–64 victory.

Thirty-seven years later, in the same building, Minnesota delivered its own unforgettable ending.

A Back-and-Forth First Half

Both teams entered Monday night’s matchup undefeated at 2–0, but neither could establish much offensive rhythm early.

The opening half was marked by sloppy possessions, missed opportunities around the basket, and stretches where both teams struggled to convert makeable shots.

With 7:50 remaining in the first half, the teams were deadlocked at 23.

Cincinnati eventually found a spark.

Coming out of a timeout, the Bearcats put together a 7–0 run that brought Fifth Third Arena to life. The energy inside the building reached another level as fans rose to their feet, feeding off Cincinnati’s momentum.

Minnesota responded with a timely three-pointer, briefly quieting the crowd and keeping the Golden Gophers within striking distance.

Neither team could pull away before halftime, and the teams headed to the locker rooms tied at 30.

Cincinnati Takes Control

The Bearcats appeared to find their footing in the second half, largely behind the offensive production of Tylen Riley.

Riley scored 16 of his game-high-for-Cincinnati 25 points after halftime, helping the Bearcats establish control as the home crowd grew increasingly involved.

A Riley three-pointer gave Cincinnati the lead with 14:03 remaining, and the Bearcats eventually stretched their advantage to eight points at 49–41 with 8:12 left.

For much of the second half, Cincinnati looked positioned to protect its home floor and improve to 3–0.

The Bearcats maintained their advantage deep into the closing minutes, holding a 61–54 lead with just 2:37 remaining.

But those would be Cincinnati’s final points of the night.

A Stunning Final Two Minutes

With its undefeated record on the line, Minnesota began chipping away.

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson connected on a hook shot with 2:16 remaining, and Kyan Evans and Isaac Asuma followed with layups to bring the Golden Gophers within one point at 61–60 with just 14 seconds left.

Cincinnati still controlled its own destiny.

The Bearcats had opportunities to extend their lead at the free-throw line, but Myles Colvin and MJ Collins Jr. each missed the front end of one-and-one opportunities.

The second miss proved especially costly.

Asuma secured the rebound following Collins’ miss, pushed the ball up the floor, and delivered a pass across midcourt to Durkin.

With the final seconds disappearing, Durkin launched a deep three-pointer.

Nothing but net.

The shot gave Minnesota a 63–61 victory, completing a 9–0 run to close the game and leaving the Cincinnati crowd stunned.

What had appeared to be a comfortable late-game advantage disappeared in a matter of minutes.

Evans Leads Minnesota’s Comeback

While Durkin delivered the game’s defining moment, Evans provided the production that kept Minnesota within reach throughout the night.

Evans finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, shooting 11-of-19 from the field and connecting on three shots from beyond the arc.

Crocker-Johnson added 11 points, while Asuma contributed 10 and delivered the decisive assist.

For Cincinnati, Riley led the way with 25 points, while Tyler Tejada added 10.

The loss dropped Cincinnati to 2–1, while Minnesota remained unbeaten at 3–0.

A Full-Circle Moment at Fifth Third Arena

Basketball has a way of producing moments that seem almost scripted.

In 1989, Cincinnati celebrated the opening of its new arena with a dramatic late three-pointer against Minnesota.

On Monday night, nearly 37 years later, the Golden Gophers authored a similar ending on the very same court.

The roles were reversed, the celebration belonged to the visitors, and a building that had erupted during Cincinnati’s second-half surge fell silent.

For Minnesota, it was an early-season road victory delivered in unforgettable fashion.

For Cincinnati, it was a painful reminder that no lead is safe until the final buzzer.

And for Fifth Third Arena, it was another chapter in a basketball story nearly four decades in the making.

What’s Next

Minnesota (3–0) returns home to face Southern on Thursday, November 12.

Cincinnati (2–1) will look to bounce back Saturday, November 14, when the Bearcats travel to face Dayton.

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Reporting and photography by Cole Swafford for CSwaff Media. Game statistics verified against the ESPN/AP postgame report.