|
 Rayvonte Rice tallied 10 points, nine rebounds and four steals
while Malcolm Hill also contributed 10 points for Illinois (16-12,
5-10 Big Ten), which won consecutive games for the first time since
a four-game streak from Dec. 21-Jan. 4. The Illini, who also ended a
five-game conference home losing streak – the longest in school
history – forced 15 turnovers while holding Nebraska to a season-low
point total.
Terran Petteway had 13 points to pace the Cornhuskers (16-11, 8-7
Big Ten), but the Big Ten’s leading scorer went 5-of-18 from the
field, including 1-of-6 beyond the arc. Nebraska, which went
100-for-137 from the foul line during its longest conference winning
streak since 1999, settled for a 6-for-7 effort from the stripe on
Wednesday.
Illinois held Petteway to two points on 1-of-9 shooting in the first
half, but had to settle for a 27-24 lead at the break and appeared
to be in trouble after Nebraska took a one-point lead after forcing
center Nnanna Egwu to the bench with his third foul. Instead, Hill
drained two of Illinois’ five 3-pointers during a 23-9 run that gave
the Illini their biggest lead of the game at 50-37 midway through
the second half.
[to top of second column] |
Petteway, who also missed his first four shots of the second half,
rallied the Cornhuskers with a 3-pointer and driving layup in a
33-second span, but Nebraska could get no closer than eight
thereafter when Egwu converted a layup and Hill drained four
straight free throws. The victory allowed Illinois to move out of
the conference basement and halt a stretch in which it had lost 10
of 12.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Illinois held its third straight opponent to fewer
than 50 points. … Nebraska F Shavon Shields, who went 15-of-15 from
the foul line and scored a career-high 33 points in the Cornhuskers’
Feb. 12 victory over Illinois, made his only free throw and finished
with eight points. … The Illini went 9-of-24 from beyond the arc –
the most makes and attempts they have recorded in conference action.
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