MINNEAPOLIS — In a decisive matchup on Saturday night, No. 23 Illinois secured a 95-74 victory over Minnesota, largely thanks to impressive performances from Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis. Riley contributed significantly with 27 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists from the bench, while Jakucionis scored 24 points, marking his ongoing rise in the collegiate basketball scene.
The Illini, now standing at 16-8 overall with an 8-6 Big Ten record, showed resilience after struggling in recent games, having lost four of their last six. Tomislav Ivisic was also a key player for Illinois, posting a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds despite battling an ankle injury sustained in a previous loss at Rutgers.
For Minnesota, Femi Odukale stood out with a season-best 22 points, and Lu’Cye Patterson added 19. However, the Gophers faced challenges as Dawson Garcia, the second-leading scorer in the Big Ten, managed only 12 points with a disappointing 4-for-14 shooting performance.
Injuries and health issues had hindered Illinois earlier in the season, but they appeared to have regained their composure for this matchup. The Illini dominated in the paint, outscoring Minnesota 50-26, reflecting their status as the nation’s top rebounding team.
Historical context adds to the rivalry, as Illinois has now won eight consecutive games against Minnesota, maintaining an average winning margin of 18 points. Additionally, they boast an impressive 38-8 record against the Gophers in the 21st century.
Notably, Jakucionis, the talented freshman from Lithuania, tied his career high in points, contributing to Illinois’ ninth game scoring over 90 points this season. The team is averaging 85 points per game, the highest for the program since the 1988-89 season when they advanced to the NCAA Final Four.
Although Minnesota made a promising start by sinking their first three 3-pointers, the Gophers struggled to maintain their momentum when their shooting went cold.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred shortly before halftime when Odukale hit a 3-pointer to reduce the deficit to seven. In response, Ivisic leveraged his 11-inch height advantage over Patterson to score on a drop-step layup, extending Illinois’ lead.
Statistically, the Illini have a strong record in Big Ten road games, posting a 33-25 record over the past six seasons, the best in the conference during that time.
Looking ahead, Illinois is set to host UCLA on Tuesday, while Minnesota will travel to USC next Saturday.
