|
 Shields went 8-of-12 from the floor and made all 15 of his free
throws for Nebraska (13-10, 5-6 Big Ten), which has won four
consecutive home games during league play for the first time since
Jan. 13-Feb. 13, 1999 as a member of the Big 12. Terran Petteway
added 16 points as the Cornhuskers moved into a three-way tie for
sixth place in the conference.
Rayvonte Rice finished with 23 points and three steals to pace
Illinois (14-11, 3-9), which lost for the ninth time in 10 games.
Nnanna Egwu collected 12 rebounds as the Illini fell into the Big
Ten cellar.
Shields and Petteway combined for 24 of Nebraska's 31 first-half
points as the Cornhuskers battled back from an early eight-point
deficit and took a one-point lead into the break on a layup by Ray
Gallegos as time expired. Illinois regained a six-point advantage
but went without a field goal for over seven minutes as Nebraska
used a 10-0 surge to jump back in front.
[to top of second column] |
The Illini kept it close with five free throws during their
field-goal drought and pulled within 49-47 on a reverse layup by
Rice with 8:19 left, but Walter Pitchford drained a long 3-pointer
and Shields scored the Cornhuskers' next nine points. Nebraska hit
10 of its final 12 free throws and was not threatened thereafter as
Illinois endured another field-goal drought of nearly six minutes
before it added a couple of baskets over the final 1:01.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Nebraska went 24-of-27 from the foul line. …
Illinois, which ended an eight-game losing streak Sunday at Penn
State, hasn't posted road wins in back-to-back games since Feb.
12-15, 2009. … Shields' previous career high was 29 points against
Penn State as a freshman last season.
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