Preview: Nebraska at Illinois

[January 16, 2016]  Nebraskahas won two straight games by a total of 59 points and topped 80 points inconsecutive games for the first time since 2002. The Cornhuskers head toIllinois for a Saturday encounter against the Fighting Illini, who recorded their mostimpressive win of the season when they upset No. 20 Purdue by 14 points onSunday.

TheCornhuskers, who have struggled mightily on offense most of the season, misseda chance to make history by winning back-to-back Big Ten games by 30 points ormore, which has never happened. Nebraska already had defeated Rutgers 90-56 onJan. 9, then faced Minnesota on Tuesday and opened a38-point lead with less than seven minutes when coach Tim Miles pulled hisstarters. Illinois opened conference play losing three straight and theprospect of a fourth consecutive loss loomed large with the Boilermakers' hugefront line standing in the way of a Big Ten victory. Illinois also was comingoff an embarrassing loss to Michigan State in which it scored only 54 points,but behind the guard duo of Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn, the Illini beat theBoilermakers.

TV:2:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUTNEBRASKA (10-8, 2-3 Big Ten): Most of the year the offense has been Kansastransfer Andrew White and senior guard Shavon Shields providing the punch. Thistime around, it was Shields who led the charge as the senior guard started his100th straight game and scored 24 points on 7-of-10 from the field and 9-of-11free throws, and had a game-high eight rebounds. Even more impressive was theNebraska defense that did not allow Minnesota to convert a jump shot in thefirst half -- all of the Golden Gophers' eight field goals came within threefeet of the basket.

ABOUTILLINOIS (9-8, 1-3): Leading scorer Nunn missed the Michigan State loss whileattending the birth of his son, but returned to score 22 points against theBoilermakers. Illinois shot a season-high 54.2 percent from the field,including 9-of-17 on 3-pointers, against the nation's top-rated defensive team.The Illini's top two post players, Michael Finke and Maverick Morgan, heldtheir own against Purdue's two 7-footers as A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas scoredonly 16 points combined and the Boilermakers grabbed a season-low 31 boards.

TIP-INS

1. Nunnis second in the conference in scoring at 19.7 points per game, just behind Indiana's Yogi Ferrell (19.8).

2. Whiteleads the Big Ten in 3-point shots made (15) as he connects on 51.4 percentfrom 3-point range.

3. Shields has eclipsed 1,400 points for his career.

PREDICTION: Illinois 67, Nebraska 60

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