Illinois Basketball: 3 observations from the Illini win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers

After a struggle on the road against No. 18 Michigan, the women’s Illinois basketball team came back home and took down the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Illini let Minnesota hang tough for most of the game. By the halftime break, the score was tied at 35-35. Illinois would come out in the second half and would get the lead up to as much as eight points on multiple occasions in the third quarter.

Illinois would expand the lead to 10 points in the fourth quarter before Minnesota would come storming back. The Gophers would tie the game up at 60-60 with less than two minutes left, but then the Illini would flip a switch.

A 9-2 run to finish the game, led by Makira Cook’s eight points in waning minutes, would give Illinois the 69-62 victory.

Here are three observations from the Illinois basketball win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

1. Makira Cook is back to normal

One of the biggest assets to the Illinois basketball team this season has been the transfer addition of Makira Cook. She has been incredible for the Illini.

Cook hasn’t struggled too many times this season, but her worst game happened to come against a ranked Michigan program last Thursday. Her five-point performance was her second-worst outing of the year. She was just 2-of-13 from the field in the game.

I wanted to see a nice rebound game from Cook. Everyone knows she has a ton of talent, and Minnesota felt her wrath on Sunday.

Cook broke out of her tiny slump for 21 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 from three-point range. She was aggressive all game long as well, getting to the free throw line and converting all eight attempts.

Illinois has a few players we rely on to put up points. Cook is one of those players. This team will go as far as Cook takes them.