MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &045; Vincent Grier is used to getting to the basket. But when he’s hitting jump shots, opponents are in for a long night.

Grier scored a career-high 25 points Wednesday night as Minnesota defeated UNC Greensboro 94-59.

The Gophers (8-3) won their sixth straight game with deadly outside shooting and an effective transition game that fed off a season-high 26 turnovers by the Spartans.

Grier is known for slashing to the hoop and leading Minnesota’s fast break, but on Wednesday he displayed the inside-outside skills that have made the junior college transfer a fan favorite in his first year as a Gopher. He hit 9-of-13 shots, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and thrilled the crowd with two thunderous dunks in the first half as Minnesota pulled out to a 20-4 lead.

&uot;I think Vincent Grier just totally dominated the game,&uot; UNC Greensboro coach Fran McCaffery said. &uot;When he’s making jumpers, he’s virtually impossible to stop.&uot;

Grier scored 13 points in the first half, then pumped in 12 more in the first seven minutes of the second half before coach Dan Monson gave him the rest of the night off. His last seven points came on jump shots &045; a long 3-pointer and two mid-range jumpers.

&uot;When I make a couple of jump shots, I feel like, ‘Can’t nobody guard me tonight,&uot;’ Grier said. &uot;It’s just me and the ball out there. I was in the flow tonight. We got the offensive flow going, the ball was moving and everybody was having fun out there.&uot;

Freshman Rico Tucker scored 15 points for Minnesota, while Dan Coleman added 12 as the Gophers blistered the nets at a 59 percent clip from the floor &045; including 68 percent in the first half. Six players hit 3-pointers as the Gophers made 11-of-18 shots from behind the arc, and Minnesota posted a season-high 24 assists, including four by Grier.

&uot;Vince has been pretty good all year, but what I was most pleased about is that he passed up some good shots for some great shots,&uot; Monson said. &uot;When your leading scorer is doing that, it’s easier for other guys to do that.&uot;

Ronnie Burrell led UNC Greensboro with 19 points, while Ricky Hickman scored 15 and Kyle Hines added 10 for the Spartans, who shot just 42.6 percent from the field.

The Spartans fell behind 6-0 with turnovers on their first four possessions, quickly setting the tone for the evening.

Tucker, making just his second career start, scored the first six points for the Gophers on a pair of jumpers and a follow-up dunk off a missed shot by Jeff Hagen. He added a 3-pointer and another dunk off a fast-break to end the half with 11 points, but the crowd was still buzzing about the 6-foot guard’s rebound slam.