The Williams Arena crowd gasped when Kofi Cockburn spiked a shot by the Gophers into the third row in the first half Tuesday night.

It was the third league game this season, but Illinois' 7-foot, 285-pound force of nature gave first-year coach Ben Johnson's Gophers a true welcome-to-the-Big Ten moment.

Cockburn's overpowering inside presence helped the Illini pick up where they left off before a COVID-19 pause with his 29 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the Gophers' 76-53 loss in front of an announced crowd of 10,112 at the Barn.

"Anybody who can figure out how to guard that guy, let me know," Johnson said. "You try to battle for post position early, often, late, he's just a different cat."

The Gophers (10-2, 1-2 Big Ten) had to wait nearly two weeks to play after their Dec. 29 game against Alcorn State was canceled and Sunday's matchup with Illinois was postponed because of COVID outbreaks with their opponents.

Johnson's squad had been able to stay safe from the virus, but the extended time off seemed to zap their energy returning to the court.

"I just thought this was the first time all year we just didn't have it," Johnson said. "It was just a weird vibe out there from start to finish."

The Illini (10-3, 3-0) previously had 10 players out because of health and safety protocols, but their game plan was simple off the pause: Ride the broad shoulders of their All-America center.

Cockburn had 17 points in the second half. Illinois also won the rebounding battle 52-26 and outscored Minnesota 42-18 in points in the paint.

"I'm a big fan of getting the ball up close to the basket," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "Kofi established himself very early."

A 16-point first-half deficit was cut to 35-28 with 2 minutes, 23 seconds left after the Gophers forced four consecutive turnovers and held Illinois without a field goal for nearly six minutes. But they couldn't sustain momentum with an off-night from their top two scorers.

BOXSCORE: Illinois 76, Gophers 53

Forwards Jamison Battle and Eric Curry led the Gophers with 10 points apiece. But Battle and guard Payton Willis combined for only 19 points on 7-for-21 shooting after entering the game averaging a combined 35 points.

Willis, who was scoreless in the first half, also was held to nine points in the U's 75-67 loss Dec. 8 against Michigan State.

But story of the game was Cockburn having another big day against the Gophers. In his past three games against them, the junior from Jamaica is averaging 28 points, which included a 33-point, 14-rebound effort last season in Champaign.

Opening the second half trailing 41-30, the Gophers were outscored 9-0 in the first two minutes. The biggest blow was when Cockburn scored on a three-point play after bulldozing Minnesota's Eric Curry underneath the basket. But Curry was called for a flop warning.

Curry and backup center Charlie Daniels, both 6-9, were doing their best to hold their ground, but Cockburn received most of his passes from the top of the circle to avoid the help defense.

Daniels showed more offense than usual Tuesday with his second basket to make it 53-34, but Cockburn answered with seven consecutive points, including a powerful two-hand dunk after burying Daniels deep into the post.

With seven minutes left, Cockburn was still in the game after hitting four consecutive free throws to extend the margin to 28 points at 68-40. He gave Gophers fans one last emphatic slam in a crowd of defenders before leaving with four minutes to play.

"The game plan was trying to help out as much as we can," senior guard E.J. Stephens said. "He's so big. It's kind of hard to limit his touches. They're just going to throw it up and he's going to grab it."

The Gophers will try to regroup going on the road in back-to-back games at Indiana and No. 10 Michigan State, including Sunday against Hoosiers star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Cockburn was their biggest challenge yet, but they'll face a gauntlet of talented big men in the Big Ten moving forward.