Illinois Takes Down Oakland In Men's Basketball

Quincy Guerrier recorded the 14th double-double of his career – and his first as an Illini – with 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Guerrier took over in the second half, recording nine points and six boards in his 18 minutes of second-half action.

Terrence Shannon Jr. tallied a team-high 15 points, and he knocked down two 3-pointers, dished out five assists, and grabbed three steals.

Ty Rodgers registered 10 points, the third outing in double figures in his career. He accounted for four pivotal points during the Illini's 22-3 run over a nine-minute stretch in the second half, and he grabbed two rebounds.

Dain Dainja scored 10 points and was a big factor in the Illini's 44-28 edge in points in the paint. He also grabbed seven rebounds, and he notched eight of his 10 points in the first half.

Coleman Hawkins did a little bit of everything on Friday, finishing his 28 minutes of action with eight points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He grabbed a team-high three offensive rebounds while recording zero turnovers in the second half.

The Golden Grizzlies knocked down their first three shots of the night, but the Illini stepped up their defense, forcing Oakland to miss 12 of their next 15 attempts. Dainja registered three consecutive makes, which helped Illinois erase an early eight-point deficit and tie the game at 15 with just under 10 minutes to play in the half.

A 5-0 Illini run – which included a Shannon steal, assist, and dunk – gave the Orange and Blue a late three-point advantage, their largest of the opening half. Illinois ultimately took a slim 28-27 edge into halftime, led by Dainja's eight points before the break.

Illinois used a 5-0 run early in the second half, which included the team's first 3-pointer of the night, to extend its lead to six points just over two minutes into the frame. Marcus Domask then accounted for the Illini's next seven points, giving the home side a one-point lead with 13 minutes to play.

With the visitors leading by three halfway through the period, the Illini started to take control. A Shannon steal and fast-break dunk cut the deficit to a point before layups from Dainja and Ty Rodgers saw the Orange and Blue take a three-point lead with under eight minutes to play.

After the Golden Grizzlies hit a trey to tie the game at 48, Illinois closed the door on an upset bid. A 16-0 Illini run over a six-minute stretch, which included two Shannon triples and five points from Guerrier, put the Orange and Blue ahead by double digits with one minute to play. Holding Oakland without a point for nearly seven minutes, the Illini defense shut down the visitors late in the game to clinch an 11-point home victory.

No. 25 Illinois (2-0) returns to State Farm Center on Tuesday evening, when the Fighting Illini take on #5 Marquette. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on FS1.