PREVIEW
OPENING TIP: Illinois (3-11, 1-10 B1G) travels to Minneapolis, Minn., for a rare Wednesday night game vs. the Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-9, 4-8 B1G). Tipoff between the Illini and the Gophers is set for 6 p.m. CT from U of M's Williams Arena. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on WDWS 1400 AM. Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com.
ABOUT MINNESOTA: Minnesota enters Wednesday's game with an 5-9 overall record, including 4-8 mark in Big Ten play. Most recently the Golden Gophers have suffered back-to-back losses at home vs. Iowa (94-68) and on the road at No. 11 Ohio State (83-59). Sophomore G Jasmine Powell, paces the Gophers' offense at 15.4 points per game. Powell is one of four Minnesota players averaging double-figures scoring along sophomore G Sara Scalia (14.5 ppg), redshirt-sophomore F Kadi Sissoko (12.4 ppg) and redshirt-senior G Gadiva Hubbard (11.5 ppg). Hubbard, a career 1,000-point scorer, has missed the last three games due to injury. Sissoko leads the team in rebounding at 6.9 boards per contest. The Gophers average 69.7 points per game, while allowing 80.9 per contest. Minnesota ranks among the top 100 in the NCAA in several categories including No. 49 in free-throw percentage (.748), No. 56 in three-pointers per game (7.6), No. 80 in total three-pointers made (107), No. 91 in assists per game (14.6), and No. 92 in total three-point attempts (333).Â
SERIES VS. MINNESOTA:Â Wednesday's matchup is the 68th in the series between the Illini and the Gophers. Illinois leads the all-time series, 38-29, but Minnesota owns an 18-13 edge in games played in Minneapolis. The Illini are looking to extend a two-game winning streak in the series, having captured a 66-62 road upset over then-No. 12 Minnesota on Jan. 6, 2019, followed by a 74-71 win in the lone meeting last season, Jan. 12, 2020, at State Farm Center.
LAST TIME VS. MINNESOTA:Â Kennedi Myles tallied 10 points, joining Petra Holesinska (28) and Brandi Beasley (12) in double-figures scoring, as the Fighting Illini won their second straight vs. Minnesota with a gritty 74-71 victory at State Farm Center on Jan. 12, 2020. The Illini built a 19-16 edge in the first quarter and pushed the lead to four at halftime. Illinois reached in its largest lead, 68-56, with 4:28 to play before the Gophers mounted a late comeback effort to pull within one, 72-71 with 71 seconds remaining. Each team had an empty possession before Beasley was fouled after a key steal with 11 seconds to play. The senior guard sunk both free-throws, giving the Illini the victory as a buzzer-beating three-point attempt by Minnesota's Jasmine Powell missed the mark, and Jeanae Terry, who chipped in nine points, cleared the final rebound. Myles and J-Naya Ephraim led the Illini with seven rebounds each, while Terry added five boards.
UP NEXT: The Fighting Illini return to State Farm Center, hosting the No. 15/14-ranked Indiana. Tipoff between the Illini and the Hoosiers (11-4, 9-2 B1G) Â - who host Penn State on Wednesday - is set for 2 p.m. CT. The game, which has been designated as Illinois' annual Play for Kay Pink Game, will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on WDWS 1400 AM. Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com.
FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)
