Grace Grocholski led five Gophers in double figures with 19 points as Minnesota opened the new year with a 68-61 victory over Illinois at Williams Arena on Sunday.

Grocholski added seven rebounds, three assists and three assists, and Mallory Heyer finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds as the Gophers moved to 3-1 in the Big Ten and 15-1 overall, the program’s best record since the 2003-04 Final Four team started 15-0.

Minnesota forward Mallory Heyer drives past Illinois’ Kendall Boston during the Gophers’ 68-61 victory over the Illini on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, at Williams Arena. Heyer finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds (Matt Krohn / Gophers Athletics)

Illinois led, 59-55, with 2:59 remaining before two Tori McKinney free throws and a layup by Grochoski tied it. The Illini missed their last nine field-goal attempts, and the Gophers scored their last nine points on free throws.

“I thought our players played with an incredible amount of toughness and composure down the stretch,” Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit told reporters. “Illinois is obviously an incredibly difficult opponent with how they defend and how they rebound, how they take care of the basketball and attack the rim.”

Genesis Bryant led Illinois (11-4, 1-3) with a game-high 20 points, and Kendall Bostic had a game-high 15 rebounds, but the Gophers outscored Illini 28-13 in the fourth quarter.

“We practice these things,” Grocholski said. “It comes down to the little things well, on both ends of the ball — being strong with it, getting rebounds and finishing the play.”

McKinney, Amaya Battle and Annika Stewart all scored 11 for Minnesota, which lost its conference opener at then-No. 25 Nebraska — the Gophers’ lone loss of the season so far. Minnesota won the rebounding battle, 40-39, and turnover battle, 15-10.

McKinney, a freshman from Minnetonka, scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter.

“It was great having my teammates and coaches continue to trust in me, even though the first couple of quarters might not have gone my way shooting,” McKinney told reporters. “They just kept me in the game.”

The win was the 400th of Plitzuweit’s career. She has a career record of 400-158 and is 35-17 since taking over Minnesota’s program ahead of last season.

The Gophers play host to Rutgers on Wednesday night. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at Williams.

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