Three Instant Observations From Illinois Basketball's 77-67 Win Over Minnesota

There's never a dull moment in the Big Ten, but No. 13 Illinois might have been holding out hope for a bit of blandness when Minnesota visited the State Farm Center in Champaign on Sunday. The Golden Gophers are still getting settled under new coach Niko Medved and are coming off a pair of losses, while the Illini entered on a six-game win streak that has had its share of dicey moments.

Would they finally get a drama-free win gifted to them?

Not Saturday, and not against Minnesota, though Illinois did manage to overcome a clunky first half and a tied score at the break by goosing their offense to life and gradually pulling away over the final 20 minutes for a 77-67 win. Zvonimir Ivisic came off the bench to lead the Illini with 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in just 18 minutes.

As usual, perfection – and even your garden-variety 40 minutes of excellence – eluded the Illini (15-3, 6-1 Big Ten), but they again stayed poised, made some minor adjustments and fought through the rough patches to knock off a Gophers club (10-8, 3-4) that already seems worlds better than where it started the season just a couple months ago.

Here are three more observations from Illinois' sixth Big Ten victory and seventh win in a row:

1. Shot quality matters

Jan 17, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ben Humrichhous (3) shoots the ball over 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

No one wants to rock the boat when the waters are calm, and it has inarguably been smooth sailing for Illinois during its seven-game win streak. Still, you can practically set your watch by at least one lull in each of those wins when the Illini offense plays as if scoring is a birthright rather than a burden that requires focus, timing and collaboration.

After shooting 34.3 percent from the floor in the first half against Minnesota, Illinois sank half its field-goal tries (including 8 of 14 three-pointers) after the break. Brad Underwood speaks often about the randomness of shooting, as if the ball is guided by the cosmic winds – and he's not entirely off-base. Good shots don't always drop, and vice versa. But Saturday's second-half improvement was tied to better recognition, smarter passing and an emphasis on working the ball inside (especially against the Gophers' zone).

After center Tomislav Ivisic got off just one shot – a three-pointer – in 13 first-half minutes, he went on to score 10 (on 4-for-8 shooting) after halftime simply because his teammates made the effort to find him inside. Minnesota – which lacks a big man to match either Ivisic brother (let alone both) – had to collapse on the middle, which finally freed up the Illini shooters on the perimeter. It's a simple lesson that Illinois seemingly needs to re-learn every week or so.

Tomislav Ivisic and Keaton Wagler led No. 13 @IlliniMBB to a win over Northwestern 👏 pic.twitter.com/78NGBBmpH8
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 15, 2026

2. Minnesota is going to be a problem

The Gophers' limitations are no secret: size, depth and three-point shooting. Taken alone, each is an Achilles' heel. All together, they're usually a death knell for a season. But Minnesota has its share of talent, and Medved has been exceptional in squeezing every drop available from what he has in Minneapolis.

Illinois kept tabs on the Gophers' best three-point shooter in forward Cade Tyson, so who lit it up from beyond the arc in the first half instead? Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Minnesota's second-best perimeter gunner (who also chewed up the Illini inside). Later, when Crocker-Johnson cooled, Tyson rag-dolled smaller defenders to score 11 after the break. The Gophers moved the ball, moved their bodies, dinged Illinois on cuts to the rim and otherwise took advantage of mismatches. It switched effortlessly between man and zone on defense, capably stretching to cover the Illini on the perimeter when they failed to work for shots.

20 pts for Crock 🐊

Career High Threes 👀

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/qpaWrjhPeI
— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) January 17, 2026

Barring a matchup in the Big Ten Tournament (and, in a much longer shot, the NCAA Tournament), Illinois won't face Minnesota again this season. Underwood should enjoy the break while it lasts. The Golden Gophers are going to be a tough out nearly every game this season, and in 2026-27 they could make their move into the top half of the league.

3. Mihailo Petrovic, meet Keaton Wagler

Unless we overlooked a quick overlap somewhere along the way, Mihailo Petrovic entering the game with 4:09 left in the first half was the first time this season that he and Keaton Wagler shared the floor together. It was significant in that Petrovic had been projected to be the team's starting point guard early in the preseason, while Wagler was expected to come off the bench and likely split time between the 1 and 2.

Things have played out quite differently, of course, but Saturday's shared moment was more than just an anecdote. It was important because 1) Underwood needs to find more floor time for Petrovic, whom he needs to keep involved, motivated and sharp, and 2) it could be a wrinkle the Illini want, and perhaps need, to lean into more often. Illinois gives up something defensively when Petrovic and Wagler team up, but their abilities are mutually enhancing and the Illini's playmaking capabilities are supercharged with both on the court. Plus, if the ankle injury Andrej Stojakovic suffered Saturday causes him to miss any time, Underwood will have to dip deeper into his bench anyhow. Petrovic could be the answer.

The burst we needed. pic.twitter.com/yFbBHfdeP8
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 17, 2026