Four consecutive losses to begin Big Ten play made the Gophers the last winless team in the league, but their previous three games entering Monday were proof they could compete.
Gophers lose to Illinois 78-60 as old issues resurface that leave Ben Johnson disappointed
The Gophers had been more competitive in their last three games, but were held to 36% shooting and beat up in rebounding margin and points in the paint against the Illini.
January 17, 2023 at 12:49PM
The first Big Ten victory last week at Ohio State resembled a much different Gophers basketball team since the start of the conference season.
Some of their old issues resurfaced, though, in Monday night's 78-60 loss to Illinois in front of an announced 9,874 at Williams Arena.
Poor free-throw shooting. Being bullied on the boards and in the paint. Long scoring droughts. Those were familiar problems that led to the Gophers (7-9, 1-5) being blown out for the first time since December, when they lost to Purdue and Michigan.
"We had the lead to start the second half," Gophers coach Ben Johnson said. "The disappointing part is that at home you would think that would keep us in the game, give us life and have us ready to play. For whatever reason, Illinois was able to respond better than we did and flip it."
The Gophers, who face No. 3 Purdue for the second time Thursday at home, were held to 36% shooting and beaten up in rebounding margin (50-29) and points in the paint (54-28).
Dawson Garcia, who had a career high-tying 28 points in the victory at Ohio State, finished with a team-high 17 points. Ta'Lon Cooper added 10 of his 16 points in the second half, but the Gophers dropped their fifth straight game in the series against Illinois.
Garcia used the word "flatlined" to describe the Gophers, who shot 15-for-25 from the free-throw line. The Illini shot 57% in the second half, compared to the Gophers going 28% from the floor.
"The second half just uncharacteristic and unacceptable," Garcia said. "I think the best thing for us to do is learn from that and watch it. It's going to be tough to watch, but we have to learn from it and flush it. We have to continue to build off the Ohio State game."
The Illini (13-5, 4-3) were 0-3 to start Big Ten play, but they were sparked by Baylor transfers Dain Dainja and Matthew Mayer, who combined for 30 points and 14 rebounds to help them win their fourth in a row.
Joshua Ola-Joseph's putback gave the Gophers early hope with a 30-29 lead with 2:25 left in the opening half. The Illini still managed to take control 35-32 at halftime after two straight three-pointers from Matthew Mayer, who had 10 of his game-high 19 points in the first half.
The Gophers retook the lead 36-35 early in the second half after Garcia and Jamison Battle opened with back-to-back jumpers, but the momentum shifted just as quickly.
Before picking up his third foul, Dainja, a former Park Center standout, converted a three-point play to ignite a 12-0 Illinois run that the Gophers never recovered from.
Ola-Joseph was called for a flagrant foul after an elbow on Terrance Shannon Jr., which led to two free throws for a 70-47 lead.
Battle, who finished with only eight points, left the game with 2:56 to play after crumbling to the floor on a defensive possession. After the game, the Gophers said Battle hurt his back.
It was a tough ending to a disappointing follow-up performance for the Gophers after their best victory of the season last week in Columbus.
"Confidence is a heck of a thing," Johnson said. "I want to make sure these guys do play with that confidence. But at the same time they have to know there's a standard that's acceptable and not acceptable."
Seven players transferred from a 19-win team, some for more NIL money. But the Gophers who stayed -- Parker Fox, Mike Mitchell Jr. and Dawson Garcia -- want to finish what they started.
