Illinois was facing a crossroads last season when it traveled to Minnesota. The Illini had lost five of seven games and needed a road win to jump-start their pursuit of an NCAA Tournament berth.

Coach Bruce Weber called it the "fox hole game." He removed guard Demetri McCamey from the starting lineup and Illinois got its win.

Weber is hoping for a similar bit of inspiration tonight when Illinois plays at Minnesota at 7 p.m. following two losses that have tossed the Illini into the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.

This time he has referred to the game's timing as the breaking point.

"For the whole league, we're about midway and you have all of these teams jumbled in the middle," he said. "Can you make a spurt and jump into the top part of the pack or are you going to stay in the middle or go backward? That's the biggest thing."

Illinois (15-5 overall, 4-3 in the Big Ten) isn't necessarily at a breaking point but could use a win with games against nationally ranked Michigan State, Indiana and Michigan looming in the next two weeks.

The Gophers (15-6, 3-5) are playing much better than they were a year ago when the teams met in Minneapolis. At that point they were beginning a stretch that saw them lose 14 of 15 Big Ten games, including the first four this season. They have won three of their last four, including a victory at Indiana.

The Illini won the first meeting in Champaign to open the conference 81-72 in two overtimes. But Weber knows they're facing a team that is much different a month later under coach Tubby Smith.

"Tubby has played less people,'' he said. "When we played them, they were subbing five at a time. They know who their guys are. They're more consistent and executing better. That's the biggest thing."