MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Isaac Asuma scored 20 points and Minnesota used a decisive first-half run to pull away from Saint Thomas (Minn.) for a 76-62 men’s NCAA Division I basketball victory on Friday at Williams Arena. The Golden Gophers improved to 2-0, and the Tommies fell to 1-1. Minnesota led 40-22 at halftime and answered each second-half challenge from Saint Thomas before an announced attendance of 10,604. Minnesota led by as many as 20 points early in the second half. Minnesota finished with 15 offensive rebounds to Saint Thomas’s eight and made 19 of 22 free throws.

Early on, the teams traded baskets. The lead changed hands several times in the opening 10 minutes. Kyan Evans opened the scoring with a driving layup for Minnesota, and Hayden Tibbits answered with a 3-pointer for Saint Thomas. Austin Herro hit a floating jump shot and a free throw to help the Tommies take an early 6-2 lead, but Grayson Grove converted a layup and free throw and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson added a layup and a 3-pointer as the Golden Gophers moved ahead. Jeremy Lorenz kept Saint Thomas close with a 3-pointer and a dunk, and Caden Wilkins made free throws during a back-and-forth stretch. After Julius Wade’s three-point play pulled the Tommies within one at 17-16, Asuma took over.

Asuma made a 3-pointer, another 3-pointer, a driving layup, a jumper and another 3-pointer during a 16-0 Minnesota run that turned a one-point game into a 33-16 lead. Asuma’s first 3-pointer in that run came with 11:33 remaining, and his second came 40 seconds later. He added another 3 with 8:30 left, a jumper with 7:32 left and a final 3 with 6:48 left. Minnesota closed the first half on a 20-6 run after Asuma’s first 3-pointer. Nolan Groves added a driving layup during that burst, and Saint Thomas went more than five minutes without scoring. Kendall Blue ended the drought with a layup, and Grove answered with a layup for Minnesota. Cedric Tomes added a driving layup, Tim Franks scored for the Tommies, and Groves closed the first-half scoring with a 3-pointer. Blue made two free throws for Saint Thomas before the break, sending Minnesota into halftime with a 40-22 advantage.

The Tommies regrouped after halftime and made several pushes. Tibbits made two free throws, Crocker-Johnson hit a 3-pointer, and Carter Bjerke connected from deep as Saint Thomas tried to chip into the lead. Lorenz converted a three-point play, Jonovan Wilkinson made two 3-pointers, and Tibbits added a 3-pointer that cut Minnesota’s lead to 55-46. The Tommies made five 3-pointers in the second half during their comeback, including two from Wilkinson and two from Bjerke. After Blue made a layup and Bobby Durkin made two free throws, Evans converted a three-point play and Asuma made a layup to push the Golden Gophers’ lead back to 62-48. Bjerke made two more 3-pointers, Wilkins scored inside, and Tibbits made a free throw to bring the Tommies within 64-57 with 5:51 remaining.

Minnesota responded with a closing run keyed by Crocker-Johnson and Groves. Crocker-Johnson made a turnaround jumper and later added four free throws, while Groves made free throws and Evans hit a 3-pointer. Evans’s 3-pointer with 3:19 left gave Minnesota a 72-60 cushion. Minnesota made six free throws in the final four minutes. Lorenz kept Saint Thomas within striking distance with a three-point play and a layup, but the Golden Gophers held the Tommies scoreless over the final 2:28 while Crocker-Johnson made the final free throws. Crocker-Johnson finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes, Grove had 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block in 27 minutes, and Groves added 15 points, seven rebounds and one assist in 29 minutes. Evans contributed eight points, four rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes.

Asuma led Minnesota with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes. He had scored 13 points with six rebounds, six assists and three blocks in 29 minutes in the Golden Gophers’ previous game against North Dakota. Asuma was Minnesota’s top star, and Crocker-Johnson provided a double-double. Lorenz paced Saint Thomas with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 29 minutes. Tibbits added 12 points, one rebound and three assists in 26 minutes, Bjerke had nine points, four rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes, Wilkins had six points and six rebounds in 16 minutes, and Blue had six points, five rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes.

Saint Thomas shot 20 of 59 from the floor, 9 of 36 from 3-point range and 13 of 18 from the free throw line. The Tommies had eight offensive rebounds, six assists, four blocks, six turnovers and 20 fouls. Lorenz accounted for two of the blocks. Minnesota shot 23 of 60 from the floor, 11 of 35 from 3-point range and 19 of 22 from the free throw line. The Golden Gophers had 15 offensive rebounds, five assists, 10 turnovers and 16 fouls. The teams combined for 36 fouls. Minnesota’s 10 turnovers were four more than Saint Thomas’s six. Saint Thomas scored 62 points from 66 possessions, an offensive rating of 94.6. Minnesota scored 76 points from 65 possessions, an offensive rating of 116.1. Saint Thomas opened the season with an 87-78 win at Presbyterian, while Minnesota beat North Dakota 85-50 in its opener. Saint Thomas next hosts Green Bay, and Minnesota next plays at Cincinnati.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected Saint Thomas (Minn.) 80, Minnesota 66. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Minnesota with a 78.8 percent probability to win. Minnesota had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -14.5. The game’s total score of 138 was listed against an over/under line of 150.5.