Dawson Garcia injury: What happened to Minnesota star forward during game vs. Iowa?

Dawson Garcia was forced to leave the Minnesota Golden Gophers' 90-85 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday. The senior forward limped off the court four minutes into the second half and did not return as the Golden Gophers blew a 20-point second-half lead.

Garcia suffered a lower body injury but might not be out for an extended period, despite being unable to return. Minnesota coach Ben Johnson said about the player:

"He tried to give it a go and just couldn't do it, so we'll have to get back, and I don't think it's anything significant, in terms of long-term. We'll have to get back and re-evaluate him when we get back home."

About the play that led to the injury, Johnson added:

"I didn't. I just know it was a play on the baseline. I don't know if he slipped on something or if he tripped or if he got hit. I didn't really see it."

Despite leaving with under 16 minutes left, Dawson Garcia was tied for the team-lead in scoring. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in 24 minutes.

The Golden Gophers' leading scorer shot 7-8 from the field, 1-1 from the 3-point range and 3-4 from the free-throw line. Following the loss, Minnesota fell to 15-8 and 6-6 in Big Ten play, while Iowa improved to 14-10 and 6-7 in conference play.

---

How has Dawson Garcia performed in his college career?

Dawson Garcia initially joined the Marquette Golden Eagles as a four-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class.

As a true freshman, he averaged 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game, shooting 48.0% from the field, 35.6% from the 3-point range and 78.3% from the free-throw line.

While he entered the 2021 NBA Draft, he maintained his college eligibility before withdrawing from the draft and joining the North Carolina Tar Heels via the transfer portal. He averaged 9.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.4 spg and 0.3 bpg, shooting 40.5% from the field, 37.5% from the 3-point range and 79.2% from the free-throw line.

He was in a reduced role before leaving while dealing with family health issues. Following the season, he joined the Minnesota Golden Gophers via the transfer portal as a way to attend school closer to home.

In two seasons with the program, Dawson Garcia has averaged 16.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.8 spg and 0.8 bpg, shooting 45.9% from the field, 32.2% from the 3-point range and 77.3% from the free-throw line.