Cade Tyson drains seven 3-pointers, scores 27 points and Minnesota drops Rutgers 80-61

Published Feb. 21, 2026 2:24 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Cade Tyson had 27 points and 10 rebounds, making seven 3-pointers, and short-handed Minnesota defeated Rutgers 80-61 on Saturday.

Minnesota won its second straight game with a lineup of six players. All five Minnesota starters scored in double figures and all five played at least 36 minutes. Backup Kai Shinholster played 13 minutes.

Tyson made 10 of 18 shots and was 7 for 9 from 3-point range.

Langston Reynolds had 19 points and nine assists, Bobby Durkin scored 12 points, and Isaac Asuma and Grayson Grove scored 11 each for the Golden Gophers (13-14, 6-10 Big Ten). Shinholster did not score.

Minnesota shot 60% overall and made 15 of 26 3-pointers.

Lino Mark scored 16 points, Dylan Grant 15 and Tariq Francis 10 for Rutgers (11-16, 4-12). The Scarlet Knights had won their last two, including their only Big Ten road win, 85-72 against Penn State on Wednesday.

The Gophers shot 57% in the first half and their stifling defense that allowed only 44 points in a win at Oregon earlier in the week held Rutgers to 36% shooting. Reynolds scored 13 points, Tyson added 11 and Minnesota led 36-23 at halftime.

Durkin's fourth 3-pointer of the second half followed a 3 by Tyson, gave the Golden Gophers a 63-43 lead with nine minutes left. Minnesota led by at least 16 the rest of the way.

Minnesota junior forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, the team’s second-leading scorer, will be sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury, coach Niko Medved said on Friday. Minnesota lost starters Robert Vaihola and Chansey Willis to season-ending injuries in November. Backups B.J. Omot and Chance Stephens have been unavailable all season.

Up next

Rutgers: Washington visits on Tuesday.

Minnesota: at No. 1 Michigan on Tuesday.

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