MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Matthew Mayer had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Illinois Fighting Illini used a big second half to beat Minnesota Golden Gophers 78-60 on Monday night for its fourth straight victory.
Illinois pulled away in the opening five minutes of the second half with a 12-0 run to build a 47-36 lead. The Illini extended it to 55-41 after nine minutes as Minnesota made just 3 of 13 shots to start the half.
Illinois dominated the paint with a 54-28 edge in points and 50-29 in rebounds. The Illini held Minnesota to 36% shooting, including 3 of 13 from 3-point range. The Gophers were also 15 of 25 at the free-throw line.
Illinois has won five consecutive games in the series - and three straight at Minnesota.
Dain Dainja and Terrence Shannon Jr. each added 11 points for Illinois (13-5, 4-3 Big Ten), which hosts Indiana on Thursday. Freshman Jayden Epps scored 10 points and Mayer, a super senior, recorded his first career double-double.
Mayer made an open 3-pointer from the corner in the closing seconds of the first half to give Illinois a 35-32 lead. Minnesota is now 0-8 this season when trailing at halftime.
Dawson Garcia had 17 points and Ta'lon Cooper scored 16 points for Minnesota (7-9, 1-5), which is back in action on Thursday against No. 3 Purdue.
---
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
1st Half
ILL
Fighting Illini
35
MINN
Golden Gophers
32
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Dain Dainja vs. Joshua Ola-Joseph (Taurus Samuels gains possession)
19:46
+3
Dawson Garcia makes three point jump shot (Jamison Battle assists)
0-3
19:27
Terrence Shannon Jr. misses two point jump shot
19:25
Dawson Garcia defensive rebound
19:19
Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot
19:17
Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound
19:12
+2
Dain Dainja makes two point layup (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
2-3
18:47
+2
Joshua Ola-Joseph makes two point layup (Dawson Garcia assists)
2-5
18:24
+2
Dain Dainja makes two point jump shot (Coleman Hawkins assists)
4-5
18:04
Terrence Shannon Jr. personal foul
17:52
Coleman Hawkins personal foul
17:48
+2
Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point layup (Dawson Garcia assists)
4-7
17:35
Taurus Samuels personal foul
17:29
Matthew Mayer misses two point jump shot
17:27
Jamison Battle defensive rebound
17:18
Ta'Lon Cooper offensive foul
17:18
Ta'Lon Cooper turnover (offensive foul)
17:07
+3
Sencire Harris makes three point jump shot (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
7-7
16:44
Jamison Battle misses two point jump shot
16:42
Sencire Harris defensive rebound
16:23
+2
Matthew Mayer makes two point layup
9-7
16:00
Matthew Mayer blocks Taurus Samuels's two point layup
15:58
Sencire Harris defensive rebound
15:51
Matthew Mayer misses three point jump shot
15:49
Fighting Illini offensive rebound
15:45
TV timeout
15:37
RJ Melendez misses two point layup
15:35
Taurus Samuels defensive rebound
15:15
Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot
15:13
Jayden Epps defensive rebound
15:05
+2
Matthew Mayer makes two point layup
11-7
14:46
Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot
14:44
Golden Gophers offensive rebound
14:41
+2
Jamison Battle makes two point layup (Ta'Lon Cooper assists)
11-9
14:24
Matthew Mayer turnover (bad pass) (Jamison Battle steals)
14:15
Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
14:13
Dain Dainja defensive rebound
14:06
+2
Jayden Epps makes two point layup
13-9
13:42
Matthew Mayer blocks Joshua Ola-Joseph's two point layup
13:40
Dain Dainja defensive rebound
13:34
Jayden Epps turnover (traveling)
13:22
+2
Jamison Battle makes two point jump shot (Pharrel Payne assists)
13-11
13:01
Braeden Carrington personal foul
12:57
Terrence Shannon Jr. misses two point jump shot
12:55
Jamison Battle defensive rebound
12:47
Jamison Battle misses three point jump shot
12:45
Terrence Shannon Jr. defensive rebound
12:39
RJ Melendez misses three point jump shot
12:37
Ty Rodgers offensive rebound
12:33
+2
Ty Rodgers makes two point layup
15-11
12:14
Pharrel Payne turnover (double dribble)
11:58
Ty Rodgers misses two point jump shot
11:56
Dain Dainja offensive rebound
11:53
+2
Dain Dainja makes two point layup
17-11
11:52
Pharrel Payne shooting foul (Dain Dainja draws the foul)
11:52
TV timeout
11:52
Dain Dainja misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:52
Pharrel Payne defensive rebound
11:32
Coleman Hawkins shooting foul (Braeden Carrington draws the foul)
11:31
+1
Braeden Carrington makes regular free throw 1 of 2
17-12
11:31
Braeden Carrington misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:31
Matthew Mayer defensive rebound
11:14
Dain Dainja misses two point jump shot
11:12
Pharrel Payne defensive rebound
10:54
Jaden Henley misses two point jump shot
10:52
RJ Melendez defensive rebound
10:35
+2
Jayden Epps makes two point layup
19-12
10:14
+2
Dawson Garcia makes two point layup
19-14
10:13
Matthew Mayer shooting foul (Dawson Garcia draws the foul)
10:13
Dawson Garcia misses regular free throw 1 of 1
10:13
Ty Rodgers defensive rebound
10:01
+2
Jayden Epps makes two point layup
21-14
9:30
+2
Dawson Garcia makes two point jump shot
21-16
9:20
Pharrel Payne blocks Terrence Shannon Jr.'s two point layup
9:18
Ta'Lon Cooper defensive rebound
9:10
Dain Dainja personal foul (Pharrel Payne draws the foul)
8:54
Dain Dainja shooting foul (Pharrel Payne draws the foul)
8:54
+1
Pharrel Payne makes regular free throw 1 of 2
21-17
8:54
Pharrel Payne misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:54
Terrence Shannon Jr. defensive rebound
8:33
Terrence Shannon Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:31
Pharrel Payne defensive rebound
8:17
+2
Jamison Battle makes two point jump shot (Pharrel Payne assists)
21-19
8:01
Jayden Epps misses two point jump shot
7:59
Pharrel Payne defensive rebound
7:53
Jayden Epps blocks Pharrel Payne's two point layup
7:51
Matthew Mayer defensive rebound
7:43
Terrence Shannon Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jaden Henley steals)
7:33
Brandon Lieb blocks Dawson Garcia's two point layup
7:31
Sencire Harris defensive rebound
7:23
+2
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes two point layup (Sencire Harris assists)
23-19
6:49
Pharrel Payne turnover (bad pass)
6:49
TV timeout
6:43
Brandon Lieb misses two point jump shot
6:41
Joshua Ola-Joseph defensive rebound
6:19
+2
Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point layup
23-21
6:00
Sencire Harris misses two point jump shot
5:58
Brandon Lieb offensive rebound
5:49
+2
Brandon Lieb makes two point layup
25-21
5:46
Jamison Battle shooting foul (Brandon Lieb draws the foul)
5:46
Brandon Lieb misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:46
Dawson Garcia defensive rebound
5:30
Brandon Lieb personal foul (Joshua Ola-Joseph draws the foul)
5:30
+1
Joshua Ola-Joseph makes regular free throw 1 of 2
25-22
5:30
+1
Joshua Ola-Joseph makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-23
5:20
Matthew Mayer misses three point jump shot
5:18
Ta'Lon Cooper defensive rebound
5:10
Dawson Garcia misses three point jump shot
5:08
Matthew Mayer defensive rebound
4:57
Jamison Battle personal foul
4:51
Braeden Carrington shooting foul (Terrence Shannon Jr. draws the foul)
4:51
+1
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
26-23
4:51
+1
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
27-23
4:38
+2
Dawson Garcia makes two point layup (Ta'Lon Cooper assists)
27-25
4:28
Terrence Shannon Jr. offensive foul
4:28
Terrence Shannon Jr. turnover (offensive foul)
4:10
Dawson Garcia misses two point jump shot
4:08
Matthew Mayer defensive rebound
3:55
+2
Brandon Lieb makes two point layup (Matthew Mayer assists)
29-25
3:40
Braeden Carrington misses two point layup
3:38
Matthew Mayer defensive rebound
3:23
Jayden Epps misses two point jump shot
3:21
Joshua Ola-Joseph defensive rebound
3:02
+3
Braeden Carrington makes three point jump shot (Dawson Garcia assists)
29-28
2:46
RJ Melendez misses three point jump shot
2:44
Golden Gophers defensive rebound
2:41
TV timeout
2:30
Ta'Lon Cooper misses two point jump shot
2:28
Joshua Ola-Joseph offensive rebound
2:25
+2
Joshua Ola-Joseph makes two point layup
29-30
2:07
+3
Matthew Mayer makes three point jump shot (Jayden Epps assists)
