The No. 19 Fighting Illini (2-2, 2-1) head to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to take on Minnesota (4-0, 3-0) Saturday Feb. 6. The meet is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT inside the Sports Pavilion. The meet will be streamed via BTN Plus (subscription required).

SCOUTING THE GOPHERS

Minnesota enters the weekend with a season average of 195.469, having won four straight dual matches to start the season. Last weekend, the Gophers defeated Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, 196.075-194.900. In last season's regular season meeting, Illinois narrowly defeated Minnesota in Champaign, 195.775-195.375. This season, Minnesota ranks in the top-25 on all four events. They are led by senior Lindsay Mable who garnered Big Ten Gymnast of the Year honor in 2015.

ILLINI NOTES

• Illinois ranks in the top-10 in the nation in two events: ninth on beam (48.981) and ninth on floor (49.081).
• Giana O'Connor ranks 23rd in the nation and third in the Big Ten on floor with an average of 9.881.
• Mary Jane Horth ranks 24th in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten in the all-around 39.238.
• Mary Jane Horth is the only Illini to finish in the top-three in the all-around in every meet this season.
• In her first competitive season, Bridget Hodan has been very consistent on beam, scoring a 9.800 in three of four meets.
• Freshman Lizzy LeDuc garnered the first event title of her career at Penn State on beam (9.900).
• Erin Buchanan scored a season-best 39.200 in the all-around last weekend at Penn State.

LAST WEEK

Illinois overcome a .675-point deficit heading into the last rotation to defeat Penn State 195.725-195.025 Friday night in University Park, Pennsylvania. A season-best total (49.200) on beam in the final rotation secured Illinois its highest team score of the season and its second Big Ten road victory. Illinois garnered three titles on the night. Lizzy LeDuc and Sunny Kato both produced a season-best 9.900 to share the beam crown. LeDuc garnered the first event title of her Illini career. Mary Jane Horth took home her first all-around crown of the season with a season-best 39.400. Additionally, Horth shared the bars title with a 9.900.

O'CONNOR'S STRONG START

Giana O'Connor has garnered a total of eight event titles in the first four meets of the season. At Rutgers, O'Connor claimed four titles, finishing with the best score on bars (9.825), floor (9.875) and the all-around (39.325), while also sharing the vault title with a 9.825. Her performance this season moved her into ninth on the Illinois career event title list with a total of 30 titles.

ALL-AROUNDERS

UI has had four different gymnasts compete in the all-around this season. Giana O'Connor, Mary Jane Horth and Lizzy LeDuc have competed in the all-around in every meet. O'Connor has garnered two all-around titles, while Horth earned her first all-around title of the season at Penn State and has finished in the top-3 in every meet. Erin Buchanan and Lizzy LeDuc have also competed in the all-around in multiple meets. Buchanan produced a season-best 39.200 at Penn State and LeDuc's season-best total (39.000) came at Rutgers.

ILLINI DEBUTS

Six Illini have made their competitive debuts for the Orange and Blue this season. Four debuted in the season opener, including freshman Lizzy LeDuc, who competed in the all-around. Fellow freshmen Rachael Donovan and Haylee Roe competed on bars and floor, respectively, while sophomore Bridget Hodan led off on beam in her first competitive routine. Freshman Brielle Nguyen made her competitive debut on beam at Rutgers and freshman Julia Hutcherson made her competitive debut on vault against Michigan.

2016 OUTLOOK

Landrus and the women's team are coming off a record-setting 2015 season, where the Illini posted a school-record team score of 197.350 at the Big Ten Championships and turned in a second-place finish at Big Tens. The Illini return all three 2015 All-Americans (Mary Jane Horth, Sunny Kato and Giana O'Connor) in addition to adding a talented group of five freshmen. O'Connor and standout freshman Lizzy LeDuc were named to the 2016 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch List. UI will return 20 routines from last season.