7 p.m. vs. Illinois • BTN-Plus, 1500-AM
Preview: With only one Big Ten victory this season — against Wisconsin at Williams Arena on Jan. 7 — the Gophers (10-8, 1-4 Big Ten) hope a return home can get them on track. They have won their past two games against Illinois (8-10, 3-2). The Illini are 0-6 on the road this season, including Big Ten losses at Michigan State and Iowa.
Players to watch: Gophers guard Carlie Wagner is fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (19.3 points per game) and scored a career-high 38 points in Sunday's 84-69 loss at Michigan. She is now 12th on the Gophers' all-time scoring list with 1,351 points. Illinois F Alex Wittinger, a 6-1 sophomore from Delano, leads the Illini with 14.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. She tops the Big Ten and is ranked 14th nationally with 45 blocked shots.
Numbers: The Gophers are last in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 74.6 points per game. … They tied their season high with 13 three-pointers at Michigan and are second in the league in three-pointers made per game (7.3).
RACHEL BLOUNT
