7 p.m. vs. Illinois • Williams Arena • BTN (1500-AM)
Gophers (13-6, 5-3 Big Ten): Minnesota has won three games in a row, the most recent an 84-77 victory at Wisconsin on Saturday. … Senior guard Rachel Banham was named to her national player of the year list. This time she made the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award midseason watch list of 16. She also made the Big Ten player of the week honor roll. … Sophomore guard Allina Starr had 10 points and 12 rebounds against the Badgers — the Gophers' first double-double in conference play this season. … This is the Gophers' second meeting with the Illinois; they beat the Illini 106-75 on Jan. 7 in Champaign when Minnesota tied a conference record with 19 three-pointers. Banham made 10 of those and tied a career high with 39 points.
Illinois (8-11, 1-7): The Illini, the last place team in the Big Ten, are coming off a 65-56 home loss to Penn State on Saturday. … Center Chatrice White leads the team in scoring (16.7 points per game) and rebounding (9.9). The 6-3 sophomore had a career-high 18 rebounds vs. the Nittany Lions. White also has 42 blocks this season. … Forward Alex Wittinger, a 6-1 freshman from Delano, is averaging 9.3 points. Her 3.2 offensive rebounds per game are fourth in the Big Ten. … Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten with 7.5 three-pointers per game — the Gophers are first with 8.9 — and fourth in turnover margin at plus-3.1. … The Illini are averaging 69.9 points, opponents 68.8.
ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ
