CHAMPAIGN, Ill. _ Richard Pitino's frustrated look roaming the sidelines Thursday night had nothing to do with the Minnesota basketball team's defense in the first half at Illinois.
Pitino could make a strong case that it was the best half in a long time with his players contesting shots, communicating with one another and limiting second-chance opportunities.
The Gophers held one of the most explosive offenses in the Big Ten in to its second-lowest scoring first half of the season. Problem is their dreadful shooting for stretches were too much to overcome in a 59-51 loss Thursday night to the Illini at State Farm Center.
Daniel Oturu's layup with under two minutes to play cut Minnesota's deficit to 52-51, but Illinois closed the game with 9-for-10 shooting on free throws to escape at home.
Oturu scored 11 of his 20 points in the second half, but he was the only player to score in double figures for the Gophers (11-10, 5-6), who dropped to 1-7 this season in road games.
The last few minutes of Thursday's game nearly resembled Minnesota's comeback 62-59 victory at Ohio State last week, but Pitino's team couldn't finish this time.
The Gophers were held to just 25% shooting and a season-low 20 points in the first half.
Marcus Carr, who finished with seven points on 3-for-12 shooting, was orchestrating a comeback trailing 10 points after Illinois (16-5, 8-2) used an 8-0 run to take a 36-26 lead.
Carr followed up his first 3-pointer of the game with an assist to Michael Hurt in transition to pull within six points. On the ensuing possession, Carr fought through a screen, but ran into Ayo Dosunmu to pick up his fourth foul.
After Carr headed to the bench, the Gophers got a bit closer with Oturu converting a three-point play after a spin move to cut it to 42-38 at the 10-minute mark. Oturu drew the fourth foul on Illinois' massive 7-foot, 290-pound freshman Kofi Cockburn.
By the time Carr returned, though, the Gophers scored just once during his absence. They were held scoreless from the field for more than five minutes when Andres Feliz got by his defender for layup to extend it to a 50-40 advantage. Feliz led four Illinois players in double figures with 17 points.
Sophomore Gabe Kalscheur has been the Gophers' third leading scorer this season. He recently snapped a five-game slump scoring under double figures with 28 points in the last two games.
But Kalscheur and Carr both had a rough night in the first half Thursday. They scored just three points on 1-for-13 shooting in the first half.
Pitino also had to play without starting junior guard Payton Willis, who was sidelined for Thursday's game with a shoulder injury.
Willis, who already missed three games this season with an ankle injury, averages 8.8 points and started 16 games this season for the Gophers. He was replaced in the starting lineup by freshman Tre' Williams, who finished with five points.
