The Illinois Fighting Illini (15-7, 4-5) were unable to repeat their previous victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers (18-6, 5-5), this time falling 72-77 in overtime.
The Illlini started the game strong, taking a five-point lead within the first few minutes, but the Gophers took jumped ahead by halftime, putting Illinois in a 26-30 deficit. Halfway through the second half, the Illini had regained the edge with a 51-47 lead with 6:20 remaining, but an ill-timed foul allowed Austin Hollins to tie the game on a layup and free throw.
In overtime, the Gophers pulled away quickly on shots from Hollins, Joe Coleman and Chip Armelin. For the Illini, junior G Brandon Paul led the way, scoring 28 points and snagging 9 rebounds, but Paul only connected on 9 of his 23 shots for a .391 shooting percentage. C Meyer Leonard put a strong effort, adding a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this matchup, head over to Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and Minnesota blog The Daily Gopher. For more from around college hoops, visit SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.