Ayo Dosunmu drives past Tre’ Williams (1) in the second half Saturday in Minneapolis. | Jim Mone/AP
Ayo Dosunmu had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season, Kofi Cockburn scored 22 points in 24 minutes and the Illini crushed the Gophers 94-63.
MINNEAPOLIS — Ayo Dosunmu had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season, Kofi Cockburn scored 22 points in 24 minutes, and No. 5 Illinois cruised past Minnesota 94-63 Saturday for its seventh consecutive victory.
Trent Frazier added 15 points and six steals to help the Illini (15-5, 12-3) stay in second place in the bruising Big Ten with two weeks to go in league play. The Illini had a 31-8 edge in fast-break points, shot 56% from the floor and forced 18 turnovers by the Gophers (13-10, 6-10).
Freshman Jamal Mashburn Jr. led Minnesota with 16 points and six rebounds, with his father, former NBA player Jamal Mashburn, watching in person for the first time in his college career.
From warmup drills though the pickup-game-like vibe that developed during the second half, Illinois filled the mostly empty arena with chants and cheers, a relentless and fun energy that the Gophers never matched. Whether a thunderous one-handed dunk by the 7-foot, 285-pound Cockburn or a slick lob pass from Dosunmu to Giorgi Bezhanishvili for a slam, the Illini had a lot to smile about.
The best-shooting team in the Big Ten didn’t miss a beat, heading into halftime on a 29-14 run to break a tie midway through the first half as the Gophers grew more flustered with the ball. When Marcus Carr wasn’t ready for a pass around the perimeter by Tre’ Williams in the closing seconds, Frazier intercepted it and flung a half-court shot that swished at the buzzer for a 48-33 lead.
On the first play of the second half, Cockburn rebounded a missed 3-pointer in front of fellow 7-footer Liam Robbins and dunked it with no resistance.
Robbins, playing through a sprained ankle, had four blocks and four assists but went scoreless in 13 minutes. The Gophers were also missing Gabe Kalscheur, their best defender and third-leading scorer, because of a broken finger on his shooting hand. Carr and Brandon Johnson each had 12 points and Williams scored 11 points for Minnesota, which has lost six of its last eight games.
BIG PICTURE
Illinois: With their seventh “Quad 1” win, as defined by the NCAA’s formula for strength of schedule, the Illini matched Gonzaga for the second-most in the country. They’re coming in hot for a No. 1 seed, with five road wins in a row and their best Big Ten record since 2005.
Minnesota: Despite wins over Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan — three of the top four teams in the Big Ten and all ranked in the top 11 of the latest AP poll — the Gophers are nowhere near a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Winning their last four regular season games might be necessary to get in.
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Source:: Chicago Sun Times
Dustin Johnson highlights | Round 3 | Genesis | 2021
In the third round of The Genesis Invitational 2021, Dustin Johnson recorded three birdies against 3 bogeys to remain even through 13 holes before play was suspended due to darkness. Johnson is 7-under-par for the tournament. The PGA TOUR returns to iconic Riviera Country Club for The Genesis Invitational. Tournament host Tiger Woods will be in attendance but won’t play as he is still recovering from a back procedure last month. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and defending champion Adam Scott are among the headliners. Notables in the invitation-only field include major champions Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, and Francesco Molinari, plus world No. 2 Jon Rahm. Two-time FedExCup winner Rory McIlroy looks to finally lift the trophy at Riviera after holding a piece of the lead Sunday a year ago only to fall to T5. In addition to reigning champ Johnson, FedExCup winners in the field include Justin Thomas, Brandt Snedeker, and Jim Furyk. Here you can find everything you need to stay up to date with the world’s foremost golf tour. Check in for highlights from every tournament plus player profiles, swing analysis and all the greatest shots and amazing moments. Teryn Gregson presents the craziest moments from around the world of golf in ‘Good, Bad & Unusual'.