(Lincoln, NE) — #5 Nebraska lost its 2nd game in a row and #9 Illinois extended its winning streak to 11 game with a 78-69 win in a Big Ten men’s basketball game on Sunday.
Up 9-4, the Fighting Illini went on a min 6-0 run but Braden Frager answered with a three pointer to retake a 12-10 advantage. It was tied 20-20 and Illinois went on a mini 5-0 run. After a Jamarques Lawrence jumper, Jake Davis for Illinois hit a three to lead 28-22. Lawrence answered with a triple of his own and a Sam Hoiberg triple tied the game at 31-31. Nebraska closed the half with a 14-2 run to lead 39-33 at the break.
The Illini started the 2nd half with an 11-4 advantage to take a 46-44 lead but Hoiberg nailed a triple to retake the lead. Illinois went on a 5-0 run but Braden Frager hit a triple to make it 51-50 Illinois with 11:17 left. The teams traded free throws and Davis hit a triple to start a 10-0 run until Frager ended it with a three pointer to cut the lead to 63-56 with 6:29 left. Illinois pushed the lead back to 11 but Hoiberg made a three point play in the paint with 4:26 remaining. The Huskers, however, missed their next couple of threes and could only get as close as 76-69 with 39 seconds left. Illinois was 9 of 11 from the free throw line in the last 3 plus minutes.
Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) was led by Frager off the bench with 20 points on 6-12 threes. Pryce Sandfort had 14 points on 4-9 threes. Hoiberg had 13 and Lawrence added 10. The Huskers were 15-35 on their three pointers.
Illinois (19-3, 10-1) was led by Keaton Wagler with 28 points including 10-12 from the free throw line. Davis had 13, Tomislav Ivisic had 12, and David Mirkovic added 10.
