Willis, Battle help Minnesota beat Princeton 87-80 in 2OT

Payton Willis scored nine of his career-high 29 points in the second and final overtime, Jamison Battle finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds and Minnesota held on to beat Princeton 87-80 on Sunday night in the title game of the inaugural Asheville Championship.

The Golden Gophers pushed their lead into double figures on three occasions in the second half, the last coming when Battle made a layup to make it 56-46 with 7:08 left in regulation but Ethan Wright scored nine points in a 13-3 spurt to force overtime.

Jaelin Llewellyn scored Princeton’s final six points in the first OT, including a layup to make it 72-all and force another extra period.

Llewellyn led the Tigers (2-1) with 19 points. Wright scored 14 with a career-high 18 rebounds and three steals and Tosan Evbuomwan added 16 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

Sutherlin scored six points in an 11-0 run over the final 3:22 of the first half that gave Minnesota a 38-30 lead when Willis capped the spurt with a 3-pointer.

Willis, a 6-foot-4 senior who is in his second stint with the Golden Gophers, also had career highs of 10 rebounds and two blocks to go along with three steals. Willis started his college career at Vanderbilt, spent two years (including a redshirt) at Minnesota before playing last season at College of Charleston.