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Social Media Reacts to Illinois Basketball's Sluggish Win Over Minnesota

The Illini continued their winning streak at home over the Gophers, and social media as usual had plenty to say about their performance
Pranav Hegde|
Jan 17, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) pulls a rebound away from Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Bobby Durkin (3) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Jan 17, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) pulls a rebound away from Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Bobby Durkin (3) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniMinnesota Golden Gophers

Illinois (15-3, 6-1 Big Ten) didn’t make it easy on itself, but a strong second half pushed the Illini past Minnesota for a 77-67 win Saturday in Champaign, in the final game before students return to campus. It wasn’t the cleanest performance, yet it was another reminder that this Illini group can win games in multiple ways – even when the shots aren’t falling early.

The first half was a grind for the Illinois offense, and Minnesota deserves credit for that. The Gophers played an active zone for much of the game, a smart decision that disrupted the Illini’s rhythm and forced them to play more patiently than they would have liked. Open looks were there at times, but the timing was off, and the ball didn’t move with the necessary flow.

Minnesota took advantage, controlling stretches of the half and briefly building a lead late. Illinois easily could have gone into the locker room frustrated and trailing, but the bench provided a lifeline. Zvonimir Ivisic scored on a couple of key possessions, and Mihailo Petrovic added big buckets to close the gap. Those plays tied the game at halftime and kept Illinois from slipping into a deeper hole.

The second half looked far more like the Illinois team that has climbed the Big Ten standings. As the Illini began to see a few shots fall, Minnesota’s zone became less effective. Keaton Wagler knocked down timely threes to stretch the defense, and David Mirkovic followed with long-range shots of his own. Once Illinois started converting from the perimeter, the floor opened up, forcing Minnesota out of its comfort zone.

That’s when Tomislav Ivisic took control. With defenders spread out, Ivisic consistently found space inside, finishing efficiently and creating extra possessions on the glass. Illinois’ offense became more balanced, its pace more controlled and its defensive pressure steadily wore Minnesota down. What had been a tight, uncomfortable game slowly turned into an Illinois advantage that never truly felt threatened down the stretch.

In the end, the Illini pulled away for a 10-point win without ever needing to dominate from start to finish. In a quiet State Farm Center atmosphere, that’s a result Illinois will happily take. The Illini improved to 6-1 in Big Ten play, remain firmly in the regular-season title race and head into the heart of conference play with momentum. Think social media was quiet about it? Think again:

The accursed 11 a.m. tip

Minnesota's zone causes some havoc

Petrovic delivers a spark

Big Z delivers

Minnesota hangs around

A pure scorer

Tomislav takes over late

Your daily dose of Wagler love

The winning streak rolls on

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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