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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - No. 19 Illinois did what it took to move back into a first-place tie in the Big Ten.
Andres Feliz scored 17 points while Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn added 13 each as No. 19 Illinois held on to beat Minnesota 59-51 on Thursday night in front of a sellout crowd at State Farm Center.
Both teams shot poorly. The Illini shot 33% and the Golden Gophers made 32% of their attempts from the field.
"Well, that was ugly," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "You have to give Minnesota credit, though. They played us tough."
It was the seventh consecutive win for the Fighting Illini (16-5, 8-2 Big Ten). They moved into a first-place tie with No. 14 Michigan State in the Big Ten.
"They were just all-around good," Gophers coach Richard Pitino said. "They have a great team, good length and talent."
Minnesota rallied from a seven-point deficit with three minutes to play to pull within one point with 1:43 left on Orturu's layup. Giorgi Bezhanishvili was fouled with 1:30 left and made both free throws. Key defensive plays late by Da'Monte Williams helped keep the Gophers at bay, and then Feliz later made two free throws to help seal the win.
"It was an all-around team effort," Underwood said. "But we need to evaluate our way back with our offense."
Cockburn (13 points, 10 boards), got a rebound in the final seconds to secure his eighth double-double of the season.
Daniel Oturu led the Golden Gophers (11-10, 5-6) with a game-high 20 points and Alihan Demir added eight points.
It was a game of offensive runs most of the night. Illinois went on a 6-0 run midway through the first half on Trent Frazier's two 3-pointers to take a 17-11 game. The Illini would not trail again.
The Gophers used a 7-0 run in the second half to pull within four points before Illinois sealed the victory.
"Our shots fell in the second half," Pitino said. "But something changed on us. They were getting a lot of points at the foul line and we weren't. The game shifted there."
Illinois was 14 of 16 from the foul line and Minnesota was 10 of 12.
UP NEXT: Illinois travels to Iowa City, Iowa to play the No. 18 Hawkeyes on Sunday at 12 pm CT. It's the first of five straight games against ranked teams for the Fighting Illini.
ILLINOIS POSTGAME NOTES
• No. 19 Illinois (16-5, 8-2) moved back into a tie for first place in the Big Ten with No. 14 Michigan State (16-5, 8-2). No. 25 Rutgers (16-5, 7-3) is one game back, while No. 15 Maryland (16-4, 6-3) and No. 18 Iowa (15-5, 6-3), Illinois' next opponent, are two games back.
• Illinois has won seven straight games, the longest active streak in the Big Ten.
• During its current seven-game win streak, Illinois' defense is allowing an average of just 57.7 points (404), 36.9% shooting (150-407), 28.0% 3-point shooting (33-118) and just 4.7 made threes per game (33).
• Illinois owns its longest conference winning streak in 15 years, since setting a school record with 25 consecutive Big Ten victories spanning the 2004 and 2005 seasons (Jan. 31, 2004-March 3, 2005).
• Illinois is off to its best 10-game start in the Big Ten (8-2) since starting 15-0 in 2005.
• Illinois is 12-1 at State Farm Center for the first time since 2014-15.
• Illinois has opened league play with five home wins for the first time since 2009, when it won its first six.
• Illinois has surpassed last year's win total by four games and surpassed last year's Big Ten win total by one game.
• Illinois leads the Big Ten in scoring defense during league play, allowing 60.1 ppg.
• Illinois is averaging just 9.2 (83) turnovers over the last nine games, tallying single digits in seven of those contests while going 8-1.
• Illinois ranks second in the NCAA in rebound margin (+9.7), trailing only Houston (10.2).
• Illinois outrebounded Minnesota, 45-36. The Illini have outrebounded its opponent in 15 of 21 games, and 10 times by double digits.
• Illinois held Minnesota to its season lows in points (51), three pointers made (3), and three-point percentage (15.8%),
• Illinois closed the game on a 7-0 run in the final 1:30 despite missing its last five shots over the final 4:42.
• Illinois' final nine points came from the free throw line, while the Illini went 9-for-10 at the line in the final 2:40.
• Illinois was helped down the stretch by a big steal (1:13) and a block (0:39) by Da'Monte Williams.
• Illinois and Minnesota both started slow, holding an 11-11 tie after 12 minutes, before Illinois went on a 6-0 run on two Trent Frazier three-pointers at the 7:57 and 7:12 marks of the first half.
• Minnesota was led by Daniel Oturu's 20 points and eight rebounds, although Illinois is just the fourth team to hold Oturu to only one offensive rebound in a game this season.
• Illinois had its first sellout since 2/23/2019 vs. Penn State. The upcoming games against Maryland and Indiana are both sellouts.
• Illinois' next five games are against ranked opponents: at No. 18 Iowa (Feb. 2), vs. No. 15 Maryland (Feb. 7), vs. No. 14 Michigan State (Feb. 11), at No. 25 Rutgers (Feb. 15), at No. 24 Penn State (Feb. 18).
• Andres Feliz led Illinois with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, tied for his second-most points in a Big Ten game in his career. He also had eight rebounds, his most ever in a Big Ten regular season game. It was his third time in double figures in the last four games.
• Ayo Dosunmu had 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists. He is averaging 18.2 points (109) and 4.8 assists (29) over the last six games.
• Kofi Cockburn had 13 points and 10 rebounds, extending his Illinois freshman record with his ninth double-double.
Andres Feliz top scoring Big Ten games
26 vs. Northwestern 3/3/2019
17 vs. Penn State 2/23/2019
17 vs. Minnesota 1/30/2020
Andres Feliz top rebounding Big Ten games
8 vs. Minnesota 1/30/2020
7 at Michigan 1/25/2020
Andres Feliz in the last two State Farm Center sellouts
17 points (7-11), 2 reb, 2 assists vs. Penn State 2/23/2019
17 points (6-11), 8 reb, 3 assists vs. Minnesota 1/30/2020
