Marcus Carr hit a stepback 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds remaining to give Minnesota a 67-64 win over Loyola Marymount in the second meeting in three days between the teams at Minnesota.
Carr finished with a game-high 26 points, 21 of which came in the second half.
The Golden Gophers (3-0) trailed 61-59 with 3:47 remaining, but they scored five straight points to take a 64-61 lead with 1:09 left after a floater in the lane by Carr.
The Lions then tied the game at 64-64 with 23.3 seconds left on a 3-point play by Keli Leaupepe, who was fouled after converting a putback layup following an offensive rebound.
That set the stage for Carr, who hit his shot from the wing in front of the Minnesota bench.
Loyola Marymount had one last chance to tie, but Minnesota's Isaiah Ihnen blocked a 3-point attempt by Jalin Anderson of Loyola Marymount before the buzzer sounded.
Leaupepe scored 16 points and Eli Scott added 13 points for Loyola Marymount (1-2), which was coming off an 88-73 loss to Minnesota on Saturday.
Leading 31-30 early in the second half, Minnesota went on an 11-3 run to take a 42-33 lead with 15:38 remaining, but Loyola Marymount didn't go away.
The Lions answered with a 10-2 run of their own to cut the Minnesota lead to one at 44-43 with 12:55 left.
Minnesota built a 52-45 lead with 10:33 left, but Loyola Marymount again responded and took a 57-54 lead with 6:43 remaining after a 12-2 run.
Leading 19-18 with 5:41 left in the first half, Minnesota started to make a move, going on a 10-2 run to take a 29-20 lead with 2:30 remaining in the first half.
Loyola Marymount put together a 6-0 run to pull within 29-26 before Minnesota ultimately took a 31-26 lead at halftime.
--Field Level Media
