A late second-half surge pushed the Illinois Fighting Illini to a 71-59 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
It was not pretty, but the Illini got the job done.
Here are some takeaways from the Monday night win.
Alan Griffin continues to provide a spark
The Sophomore guard was one of the most efficient players for the Illini, scoring 13 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Griffin also had some key highlights with a put-back dunk and a block under the rim, both plays bringing the Illini crowd to its feet.
Kofi Cockburn delivered in the paint.
Illinois’ Freshman big man continued to make his presence felt after struggling to play to his potential earlier in the season. Cockburn gave the Huskers trouble all night as he drew four fouls in the paint. Cockburn finished the night with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and a block.
Ayo Dosunmu continues to lead the Illini
In his second game back from a knee injury, Dosunmu was once again the best player on the court for either team. Despite going 0-3 from beyond the arc, Dosunmu’s flashy layups and fast moves to the basket led him to an 18-point performance. The sophomore guard also contributed two steals, two rebounds, and two assists on the night.
Trent Frazier finally scores in the double-digits
Trent Frazier has struggled with his jumper lately, shooting 20% in his previous four games. Tonight, Frazier finally put up a double-digit performance for the first time since February 2nd, scoring 11 points on the night. Frazier’s near-full court shot to close out the first half helped him overcome the drought.
The Illini are now in a five-way tie for second-place in the Big Ten with four games remaining in the regular season.
Illinois travels to Evanston for their game at Northwestern Thursday at 8:00 PM EST.