6 p.m. at Illinois • State Farm Center • ESPN2 • (100.3 FM)

Illini aiming to re-enter top 10

Preview: The Gophers (6-0) open Big Ten play Tuesday night trying to get their first win at Illinois since 2017. The No. 13-ranked Fighting Illini (4-2) were ranked as high as fifth nationally this year, the highest since the program finished national runner-up in 2005. Their first loss was to No. 2 Baylor 82-69 in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 3. Redemption came for Illinois with a 15-point victory last week at then-No. 9 Duke. The momentum was short lived. The Illini lost 81-7 on Saturday at Missouri despite a career-high 36 points from Illinois junior guard Ayo Dosumnu, who shot 13-for-20 from the field and 9-for-12 on free throws. He ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring (24.8 points) and fourth in assists (5.2) per game. In his only previous game vs. Illinois, Gophers junior guard Marcus Carr was held to seven points on 3-for-12 shooting in a 59-51 loss on the road last season. Dosunmu scorednished with 13 points in the game.

Players to watch: Gophers sophomore forward Isaiah Ihnen replaced senior Brandon Johnson in the starting lineup in Thursday's win over Missouri-Kansas City. Ihnen posted a career-best 11 rebounds and two blocks in his first career start. Johnson returned to practice Monday, but his status is day-to-day with a left high-ankle sprain. Illinois' 7-foot, 290-pound center Kofi Cockburn will be a tough matchup for 7-foot Gophers junior Liam Robbins, who had 27 points vs. UMKC. Cockburn has scored in double figures in five of six games this season. He had a season-high 19 points against Missouri.

Numbers: All seven nonconference games are at home for the Gophers this season. They will play on the road for the first time during the pandemic, at Illinois. They were 2-10 in true road games last season.

Marcus Fuller

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Illinois ranking in the Associated Press men's basketball poll.