MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Cade Tyson scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers used a dominant first-half run to seize control and never looked back in an 80-61 victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Williams Arena.

A crowd of 9,017 watched the Golden Gophers (13-14) improve to .500 in league play and snap a two-game skid, while Rutgers (11-16) saw its two-game winning streak halted.

The most pivotal stretch of the contest arrived early, transforming a tight defensive struggle into a commanding Minnesota lead. After a sluggish start from both teams, the Golden Gophers erupted. Leading just 13-11 near the midway point of the first half, Minnesota unleashed a 15-2 surge over a four-minute span. The run was fueled by the backcourt duo of Langston Reynolds and Isaac Asuma, who combined for nine points and three assists during the burst. Reynolds capped it with a 3-pointer off a Bobby Durkin assist, giving Minnesota a 28-13 advantage with 2:46 remaining before halftime.

Rutgers, which managed only 23 points in the opening period, could not mount a significant response before the break. The Scarlet Knights shot poorly from the field and committed eight turnovers in the half, which Minnesota converted into 11 points. The Golden Gophers took a 36-23 lead into the locker room, a margin built largely on the strength of that decisive run.

Minnesota maintained its offensive efficiency after halftime, quickly extending its lead. A 3-pointer by Durkin and a driving layup by Reynolds pushed the advantage to 44-30 within the first four minutes of the second half. Every time Rutgers showed a flicker of momentum, the Golden Gophers had an answer, usually from Tyson. The 6-foot-7 forward from Monroe, North Carolina, was relentless, scoring 19 of his game-high 27 points in the second half. He connected on five 3-pointers after intermission, repeatedly stifling any attempt by the Scarlet Knights to cut the deficit to single digits.

Rutgers did improve offensively in the second half, scoring 38 points, largely behind the efforts of Dylan Grant and Angelino Mark. Grant finished with 15 points and five rebounds, while Mark, a guard from Chatsworth, California, led the Scarlet Knights with 16 points. But they could not string together enough stops to threaten the Golden Gophers’ comfortable lead, which ballooned to as many as 22 points.

Tyson’s double-double was the centerpiece of Minnesota’s balanced attack. Reynolds, a guard from Denver, Colorado, added 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds, expertly directing the offense. Durkin contributed 12 points and five assists, while Asuma chipped in 11 points and six assists. Grayson Grove of Alexandria, Minnesota, provided a strong interior presence with 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

For Rutgers, Tariq Francis of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dished out five assists to go with 10 points, and Kaden Powers of Seattle, Washington, added six points and five rebounds. The Scarlet Knights were narrowly outscored in the paint, 28-24, and both teams registered only three fast-break points, underscoring a game largely played in the half-court.

Minnesota, which entered the game as an 8.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, easily covered the spread. The total score of 141 points went over the pregame over/under line of 134.5. Interstat’s ELO system had given the Golden Gophers a 65.5 percent probability to win.

The victory moves Minnesota to 13-14 overall as it prepares for a road test at Michigan on Tuesday. Rutgers, now 11-16, returns home to host Washington on Tuesday, aiming to regroup after a defeat where an early-game lapse proved too deep to overcome.