Illinois Secures First Big Ten Road Win

Five different Illini finished in double figures, and Illinois took advantage of a big second half, outscoring the Cornhuskers, 42-27, in the final 20 minutes of play, to cruise to victory in Lincoln.

The Illini shot 58.1 percent from the field in the second half, and they took advantage of turnovers and offensive rebounds, scoring 10 second-chance points and 10 points off turnovers in the final frame.

Illinois set the tone defensively early and maintained its energy throughout the contest, grabbing 12 steals and making seven blocks in the win. Dain Dainja led the way with three blocks, while Terrence Shannon Jr. tallied a team-high four steals. Sencire Harris registered a career-high three steals.

Shannon also dominated offensively, making a career-high 10 field goals en route to a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double, his second of the season and the fourth mark of his career.

Coleman Hawkins notched 12 points, nine of which came in the second half, his fourth consecutive double-digit scoring performance.

Jayden Epps registered seven of his 11 points in the final five minutes of play, going 5-of-6 from the field for his fifth-straight double-figure outing.
RJ Melendez and Matthew Mayer both recorded 10 points in the win.

The Illini defense caused the Cornhuskers problems early, holding Nebraska with a field goal until over four minutes into the contest. A 5-0 Illinois run propelled the visitors into a 5-2 lead early, and after falling behind two minutes later, the Illini used another scoring stretch to retake their advantage.

A 9-0 Illini run while holding the Cornhuskers without a basket for nearly five minutes pushed Illinois' lead to seven points. Trading buckets for the majority of the remainder of the half, the Illini used a 9-3 run to close the period and take a 34-23 lead into halftime.

Shannon scored in the paint and from behind the arc, leading all scorers with 17 first-half points. The Illinois came to play defensively, recording four blocks and six steals at the break. 

Illinois found a second gear on offense early in the second half. The Illini went on a 17-4 run, converting five straight shots, over a five-minute stretch to open up an 18-point lead. 

After Nebraska cut its deficit to 10 points with six minutes to play, Illinois halted the host's comeback attempt. The Illini closed the game on a 17-1 run and held the Cornhuskers without a field goal for the final six minutes of play to seal the 26-point victory.

Illinois (11-5, 2-3), now on a two-game winning streak in conference play, returns to State Farm Center on Friday night to take on red-hot Michigan State (12-4, 4-1). Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT in Champaign.