How to Watch: Illinois Basketball at Minnesota (Game 24)

Can the Illini come together and find their footing again in a road matchup with the Golden Gophers?

Feb 5, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) is helped off the court by teammates during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

How to Watch

No. 23 Illinois (15-8, 7-6 Big Ten) at Minnesota (12-11, 4-8 Big Ten)

Day and time: Saturday (Feb. 8) at 5 p.m. CT
Venue: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, Minnesota
TV: BTN
Stream: N/A
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Varsity Network app
SiriusXM 372
SXM App 372

Odds and Ends

Illinois vs. Minnesota all time: Illinois leads the series 130-68
Streak: Illinois has won seven in a row against Minnesota
Last meeting: Illinois 105, Minnesota 97 (Feb. 28, 2024, Champaign, Illinois)

Probable Illinois starters:

G Kasparas Jakucionis
G Kylan Boswell
G Tre White
F Ben Humrichous
F Morez Johnson Jr.

To the Twin Cities.

📅 Feb. 8
🆚 Minnesota
⏰ 5 p.m. CT
📍 Minneapolis, Minn.
📺 @bigtennetwork pic.twitter.com/J46XJnHINm

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) February 7, 2025

Smart-Fan Stuff

Key stat: 20.1

Minnesota senior forward Dawson Garcia is scoring 20.1 points per game (tied for first in the Big Ten) and doing so from all over the court.

At 6-foot-11, Garcia has the ability to bang down low and get to his spots around the paint, but he can also stretch defenses – he’s currently knocking down 1.5 threes per game at a clip of 37.4 percent.

Not just a scorer, Garcia is adding 7.4 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game and tacking on a block per game. Illinois has yet to find an answer for opposing players who combine size with perimeter skills.

Quick tips:

• Minnesota’s 33.9 rebounds per game ranks 13th out of 18 squads in the conference. That’s not a low-pace number but a true reflection of the Gophers' woes on the boards. Any Illinois opponent with a negative rebounding margin is going to be up against it. Expect the Illini to attack the offensive glass with four and five bodies to try to feast on second-chance opportunities Saturday.  

• Illinois’ past few games have gone down to the wire, turning into free-throw shooting contests. Fortunately for the Illini, they will have the upper hand in that regard: The Gophers' abysmal 64.5 free-throw percentage ranks dead last in the Big Ten.

• The Illini have had key contributors missing or compromised in roughly half their games since the start of Big Ten play. They'll be down at least one Saturday – guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn will miss the Minnesota game because of the flu – and possibly more. Center Tomislav Ivisic, who rolled his ankle against Rutgers, hasn't been practicing and is questionable for the Gophers.

Illinois on SI Prediction

Illinois just barely held on in the latest AP Top 25 poll, slipping to No. 23 after a week that included an 80-74 overtime loss at Nebraska and an 87-79 come-from-behind win at home against Ohio State.

After the Illini fell 82-73 at Rutgers on Wednesday, it’s all but guaranteed they will fall out of the polls next week, regardless of Saturday’s outcome.

But rankings should be the least of their worries at this point. The Illini need to get healthy, hit the reset button and recover their early-season mojo with March looming. The Gophers aren't going to roll over for Illinois – Minnesota is 10-5 at home and has wins over Oregon and Michigan there – but Saturday represents the Illini's last chance to find their footing before the schedule gets really rocky.

The Gophers are playing their best basketball of the season, having won four of their last six, although that's a relative assessment. (Minnesota currently sits at 16th in the conference standings.) The Illini's prowess on the glass, offensive depth and top-ranked defense give them the upper hand heading into Minneapolis. A 30-point performance out of Garcia isn’t out of the question, but that may be the only way the Gophers get it done in this one. 

Illinois 78, Minnesota 73

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Basketball Can't Keep Pace With Dylan Harper, Rutgers in Loss

Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Illinois Still Not Back in the Passing Lane

3 Key Numbers From Illinois Basketball's Loss at Rutgers