Now ranked sixth in the country after making a huge jump in the AP polls, the Illinois Fighting Illini continued their winning ways with a 77-72 victory over Nebraska, on Saturday, February 12, on the road.
The Fighting Illini was led by the great play of junior Ayo Dosunmu, who finished with a game-high 31 points and six assists in 42 minutes of play.
“We escaped in a very ugly fashion,” said Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood via ESPN.com. “Nobody at the end of the year is going to draw pictures of this one, but it’s a W. We’ve got to learn from it. I want to give Nebraska a ton of credit because they played great.”
Underwood and the Fighting Illini fell behind 34-33 at half time but used a 44-38 run to close out the game. The Fighting Illini would also receive strong contributions from center Kofi Cockburn, who finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season.
Final Score: Illinois 77, Nebraska 72.
With the victory, the Fighting Illini improved to 14-5 on the season and currently holds a five game-winning streak.
Chicago Crusader Players of The Game:
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois, scored a game-high 31 points in the win over Nebraska.
Center Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, posted his 14th double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds for the game.
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
