Dawson Garcia (3) of the Minnesota Gophers and Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) of the Illinois Illini fight for the ball in the second half Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, at Williams Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. (Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Gophers coach Ben Johnson could relate recently to what Illinois' Brad Underwood is feeling about his best player in Monday night's game at State Farm Center in Champaign.

Johnson had to play five straight games without the U's leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia because of a foot injury, but Garcia returned to score 23 points in Saturday's 76-69 loss against Penn State.

The Illini played Saturday's loss at Indiana without leading scorer Terrence Shannon due to a concussion. Shannon's out again Monday against the Gophers after he was still under concussion protocol, according to the team.

Shannon's the top scorer among new transfers in the Big Ten this season, ranking tied for sixth in the league with 17 points per game, to go with five rebounds and three assists.

The 6-6 Texas Tech transfer became an early All-Big Ten candidate when he exploded for 29 points with eight three-pointers in a Nov. 18 upset against UCLA. He also had four 20-point games in Big Ten play, but he suffered a concussion in 93-81 Valentine's Day loss against Penn State.

Baylor transfer Matthew Mayer had a team-high 24 points and eight rebounds in Saturday's 71-68 loss at Indiana. Mayer also led the Illini with 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 78-60 win on Jan. 16 against the Gophers at Williams Arena.

GAME INFO

Time: 8 p.m. CT, Monday. Where: State Farm Center. Line: Gophers 15-point underdogs. Series: Illinois leads the series 119-66, including a 78-60 loss on Jan. 16 at Williams Arena. TV: BTN. Online/Live video: BTN-Plus. Radio: 100.3-FM

PROJECTED STARTERS

MINNESOTA GOPHERS (7-16, 1-13 BIG TEN)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Ta'Lon Cooper 6-4 195 Jr. 10.3

G – Jaden Henley 6-7 200 Fr. 4.1

F – Jamison Battle 6-7 220 Jr. 12.3

F – Joshua Ola-Joseph 6-7 215 Fr. 7.7

F – Dawson Garcia 6-11 230 So. 15.4

Key reserves – Pharrel Payne, F, 6-9, Fr., 7.7 ppg; Braeden Carrington, G, 6-3, Fr., 5.8 ppg; Taurus Samuels, G, 6-1, Sr., 2.7 ppg; Treyton Thompson, C, 7-0, So., 2.2 ppg; Will Ramberg, F, 6-5, Jr., 2.1 ppg.

Coach: Ben Johnson 20-34 (2nd season)

Notable: The Gophers saw leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia (bone bruise) return to the court Saturday after missing five straight games. Freshman guard Braeden Carrington missed seven games after suffering a stress reaction in his right leg, but he returned to play seven minutes Saturday vs. Penn State. Jamison Battle, who missed the first four games this season after foot surgery, played a few games in January with a lingering back injury suffered in Jan. 16 loss vs. Illinois. Battle, who averages 12 points per game, had consecutive 20-point performances for the first time this season in losses to Indiana and Northwestern in late January, but he was held under double figures in three straight games for the first time in his career this month. … The Gophers announced earlier this season that 6-8 freshman forward Kadyn Betts will redshirt after reclassifying and joining the team early from high school. Betts, a Colorado native, will be part of a highly touted 2023 recruiting class that was signed Nov. 9, which also features five-star California center Dennis Evans III and four-star Illinois guard Cameron Christie. … The Gophers have dropped five straight games against Illinois entering Monday's matchup. They haven't won in Champaign since a 68-59 victory on Feb. 4, 2017.

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (17-9, 8-7)

Pos.-Player Ht. Yr. PPG

G – Jayden Epps 6-2 190 Fr. 10.1

G – R.J. Melendez 6-7 205 So. 5.6

G/F – Matthew Mayer 6-9 225 Sr. 12.2

F – Coleman Hawkins 6-10 225 Jr. 9.7

F – Dain Dainja 6-9 270 So. 10.3

Reserves – Sencire Harris, G, 6-4, Fr., 3.6 ppg; Ty Rodgers, F, 6-6, Fr., 2.8 ppg; Luke Goode, F, 6-7, So., 3.3 ppg; Terrence Shannon, G, 6-6, Sr., 17.0 ppg*

* - Injured

Coach: Brad Underwood 163-100 (10th season)

Notable: The Illini made a change in their starting lineup after the first 12 games to insert former Park Center standout Dain Dainja at center. The 6-9, 270-pound sophomore and Baylor transfer grew into the new role by helping Illinois win nine of its first 12 games with him starting, including four straight victories in Big Ten play. Dainja had a season-high 20 points, to go with seven rebounds and two blocks in a Jan. 13 win vs. Michigan State. He also had 11 points in his return to home state in a Jan. 16 victory against the Gophers with more than 20 family and friends in attendance at Williams Arena. Dainja was a former high school teammate with Gophers freshman Braeden Carrington at Park Center.

Fuller's score prediction: Illinois 72, Gophers 61.