University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, February 28
Urbana-Champaign, IL
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
97
at
105
Illinois
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Fall at No. 13 Illinois
2/28/2024 10:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
All five starters reached double-figures, led by Dawson Garcia's game-high 29 points and a career-high 23 from Cam Christie, but No. 13/16 Illinois (21-7, 12-5 Big Ten) outlasted Minnesota (17-11, 8-9 Big Ten) 105-97 in a game where both teams shot 60 percent and there were 20 lead changes and six ties.
Garcia made 12-of-23 field goals, scoring 20 or more points for the tenth time this season and just missing his third 30-point game. Christie scored 17 of his career-high 23 in the first half and finished the game with a career-best six three-pointers in nine attempts. Minnesota made 36-of-60 (.600) field goal attempts, including 14-of-20 (.700) three-pointers, and the Gophers were 20-of-30 (7-of-8 3FGS) in the second half. Mike Mitchell Jr. made 6-of-8 field goals and was 4-of-4 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points, Pharrel Payne made 7-of-10 field goals for 15 points to go with a game-high nine rebounds, and Elijah Hawkins had his fourth point-assist double-double this season with 10 points and 12 assists.
Garcia got the Gophers started by scoring the first five points of the game, and Payne worked his way inside for a left-side layup and a 7-6 lead. The Illini responded by scoring six straight points, but Christie knocked down a three-pointer and added a pair of free throws to tie the score at 12-12. Illinois pulled ahead 16-12, but Christie connected on his second trey and Garcia scored five straight with a layup and his second three-pointer for an 8-2 run and a 20-18 lead. At that point, the Gophers had made 7-of-11 field goals, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. Payne dunked and Garcia added a layup for a 24-23 lead. The Illini built leads of 32-27 and 34-30, but three-pointers by Christie each time kept Minnesota close. Trailing 37-33, Christie made a pair of free throws and Mike Mitchell Jr. made his first three-pointer for a 38-37 lead with 4:10 left in the half. Garcia scored on a short jumper to make it 40-39 in favor of the Gophers, as the lead changed hands for the 14th and final time of the half, and Mitchell Jr. tied the score at 42-42 on a jumper just inside the arc, but Illinois took a 48-45 lead to the locker room.
Christie led the Gophers with 17 first-half points, making 4-of-6 three-pointers, and Garcia had 14 points. Payne had seven points and a team-high six rebounds, while Mitchell Jr. finished the half with seven points. Minnesota made 16-of-30 (.533) first-half shots, including 7-of-12 (.583) from deep, while committing just one turnover.
Illinois stretched the lead to 50-45 to start the second half, but Hawkins scored his first seven points during an 11-4 run to put the Gophers back in front, 56-54, on a three-pointer by Mitchell Jr. The Illini made back-to-back three-pointers to reclaim a 60-56 lead, but Hawkins drained a three-pointer and Payne threw down a putback dunk for a 61-60 edge with 14:50 left. A pair of free throws by Garcia gave Minnesota a 63-62 lead, but the Illini countered with an 8-2 run to build a 70-65 lead. A layup by Garcia and the fifth three-pointer of the game by Christie pulled the Gophers back within two at 72-70, as Minnesota was 11-of-15 (.733) from the floor, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc in the second half at that point. But Illinois scored on back-to-back possessions to extend the lead to 76-70 and force a Minnesota timeout with 9:53 remaining. Garcia scored to cut it to 76-72, but a 4-0 Illini run stretched the lead to eight. Minnesota fought back with a Payne dunk and a corner three by Mitchell Jr. to cut the deficit to 80-77 with 7:46 remaining, but an 11-2 Illinois run gave the home team its first double-digit lead at 91-79. Garcia reached 28 points on a layup to make it 91-81, but Illinois extended the lead to 97-83 before Christie hit his sixth three-pointer of the night and Payne dunked to pull Minnesota within single-digits at 97-88 with 1:50 left. Hawkins reached double-figures on a layup and Mitchell Jr. hit a three from the top of the key while being fouled and then made the free throw to cut it to 101-94 with 0:48 left, but Illinois held on for the win.
Minnesota returns home to play host to Penn State at 2:15 p.m. CDT on Saturday, March 2, on Big Ten Network.
Garcia made 12-of-23 field goals, scoring 20 or more points for the tenth time this season and just missing his third 30-point game. Christie scored 17 of his career-high 23 in the first half and finished the game with a career-best six three-pointers in nine attempts. Minnesota made 36-of-60 (.600) field goal attempts, including 14-of-20 (.700) three-pointers, and the Gophers were 20-of-30 (7-of-8 3FGS) in the second half. Mike Mitchell Jr. made 6-of-8 field goals and was 4-of-4 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points, Pharrel Payne made 7-of-10 field goals for 15 points to go with a game-high nine rebounds, and Elijah Hawkins had his fourth point-assist double-double this season with 10 points and 12 assists.
Garcia got the Gophers started by scoring the first five points of the game, and Payne worked his way inside for a left-side layup and a 7-6 lead. The Illini responded by scoring six straight points, but Christie knocked down a three-pointer and added a pair of free throws to tie the score at 12-12. Illinois pulled ahead 16-12, but Christie connected on his second trey and Garcia scored five straight with a layup and his second three-pointer for an 8-2 run and a 20-18 lead. At that point, the Gophers had made 7-of-11 field goals, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. Payne dunked and Garcia added a layup for a 24-23 lead. The Illini built leads of 32-27 and 34-30, but three-pointers by Christie each time kept Minnesota close. Trailing 37-33, Christie made a pair of free throws and Mike Mitchell Jr. made his first three-pointer for a 38-37 lead with 4:10 left in the half. Garcia scored on a short jumper to make it 40-39 in favor of the Gophers, as the lead changed hands for the 14th and final time of the half, and Mitchell Jr. tied the score at 42-42 on a jumper just inside the arc, but Illinois took a 48-45 lead to the locker room.
Christie led the Gophers with 17 first-half points, making 4-of-6 three-pointers, and Garcia had 14 points. Payne had seven points and a team-high six rebounds, while Mitchell Jr. finished the half with seven points. Minnesota made 16-of-30 (.533) first-half shots, including 7-of-12 (.583) from deep, while committing just one turnover.
Illinois stretched the lead to 50-45 to start the second half, but Hawkins scored his first seven points during an 11-4 run to put the Gophers back in front, 56-54, on a three-pointer by Mitchell Jr. The Illini made back-to-back three-pointers to reclaim a 60-56 lead, but Hawkins drained a three-pointer and Payne threw down a putback dunk for a 61-60 edge with 14:50 left. A pair of free throws by Garcia gave Minnesota a 63-62 lead, but the Illini countered with an 8-2 run to build a 70-65 lead. A layup by Garcia and the fifth three-pointer of the game by Christie pulled the Gophers back within two at 72-70, as Minnesota was 11-of-15 (.733) from the floor, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc in the second half at that point. But Illinois scored on back-to-back possessions to extend the lead to 76-70 and force a Minnesota timeout with 9:53 remaining. Garcia scored to cut it to 76-72, but a 4-0 Illini run stretched the lead to eight. Minnesota fought back with a Payne dunk and a corner three by Mitchell Jr. to cut the deficit to 80-77 with 7:46 remaining, but an 11-2 Illinois run gave the home team its first double-digit lead at 91-79. Garcia reached 28 points on a layup to make it 91-81, but Illinois extended the lead to 97-83 before Christie hit his sixth three-pointer of the night and Payne dunked to pull Minnesota within single-digits at 97-88 with 1:50 left. Hawkins reached double-figures on a layup and Mitchell Jr. hit a three from the top of the key while being fouled and then made the free throw to cut it to 101-94 with 0:48 left, but Illinois held on for the win.
Minnesota returns home to play host to Penn State at 2:15 p.m. CDT on Saturday, March 2, on Big Ten Network.
Highlights: Gophers 80, NDSU 54
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