Minnesota 79, Illinois 71: Andre Hollins poured in 28 points, including 19 in the second half, as the Golden Gophers pulled away for a home win over the Fighting Illini.

Carlos Morris added 16 points for Minnesota (13-8, 2-6 Big Ten), which won for the second time in three games. The Gophers, who also received 12 points and a career-high 13 rebounds from Maurice Walker as well as 10 points off the bench from Nate Mason, enjoyed a 38-30 advantage on the glass and hit a season-high 22 free throws in 29 attempts.

Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill both scored 18, with four 3-pointers apiece, for Illinois (13-8, 3-5), which had won 11 of its previous 13 road games in the series. Jaylon Tate added 11 points and a career-high nine assists for the Illini, who shot 37.7 percent from the field despite an 11-of-24 performance from 3-point range.

The contest was knotted at 44-44 with 12:29 to play when a Hollins 3-pointer jump-started a 12-0 run over the ensuing five minutes to give Minnesota its first double-digit lead. Another Hollins triple put the Gophers up 61-46 with 5:55 remaining and Illinois would get no closer than six points thereafter.

The opening half was a back-and-forth tussle, featuring 19 lead changes and seven ties. Minnesota shot 6-of-14 from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes while the final triple – drained by Hollins with 1:04 to go – gave the Gophers a 33-30 halftime lead.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Hollins has scored 80 points and shot 27-of-49 from the field over his last three games. … Minnesota is 2-2 at home in Big Ten play after finishing the non-conference season with an unblemished home mark (9-0) for the fourth straight year. … G Rayvonte Rice (broken hand) and G Aaron Cosby (torn retina) missed their sixth- and second-straight games, respectively, for Illinois.