Illinois Defeats Penn State, 79-65

By Matt Haufe

FightingIllini.com

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The No. 22 Fighting Illini defeated Penn State 79-65 at State Farm Center Tuesday night. The Illini were led by Kofi Cockburn's NCAA-leading 11th double-double and red-hot shooting behind the arc from Trent Frazier.

Cockburn (21 points, 12 rebounds) recorded his 11th double-double in 15 games this season. Trent Frazier added 13 points on 3-for-7 shooting from behind the arc, and Andre Curbelo tallied four assists, including a magical behind the back pass to Ayo Dosunmu.

The Illini set a season-best in blocks with 8. Coleman Hawkins added three blocks and Cockburn swatting four shot attempts, including two Illinois Volleyball approved spikes.

The Illini spread the offense throughout the game, with three players in double-digits on the night. Ayo Dosunmu again scored in double-digits, recording 13 points and five assists, and Adam Miller hit three treys in the Illini victory.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Illinois completed the season sweep of Penn State by an average margin of 15.5 points per game.

• Kofi Cockburn had 21 points and 12 rebounds, his NCAA-leading 11th double-doubles in the first 15 games and sixth straight double-double. He has registered double-doubles in eight of nine Big Ten contests and is averaging 19.7 points and 11.2 boards during league play on 72.7% shooting. Cockburn tied a career high with nine free throws made against Penn State.

• Ayo Dosunmu had 13 points and five assists. Dosunmu is averaging 21.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game this season. Dosunmu is one of only two players in the nation averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists this season (Taevion Kinsey, Marshall).

• Over the last five games, freshman Adam Miller is averaging 11.2 points (56) and making an average of 3.0 treys (15) while shooting 40.5% from behind the arc (15-37).

• Jacob Grandison started for the first time as an Illini. Grandison had 51 starts in two years at Holy Cross (2017-19).

• Illinois' game at Michigan State on Saturday has been postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests among the Spartans' Tier 1 testing group. The Illini's next scheduled game is against Iowa on Jan. 29.

• Illinois currently ranks eighth nationally in offensive adjusted efficiency (KenPom) at 116.5. That is the second-highest ranking ever for the program (since metric began tracking in 1997), behind only the 2005 NCAA runner-up squad that finished No. 3 in offensive efficiency.