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Illinois Postgame Notes

Illinois 69, Nebraska 57
State Farm Center // March 4, 2015 // Attendance: 17,085 


1. Illinois finished with a 14-2 record at State Farm Center in 2014-15, including a 7-2 mark in Big Ten play. The Illini last achieved those records at home during the 2010-11 season.

2. UI improved to 9-8 in the Big Ten, marking its most conference wins under head coach John Groce and since finishing 9-9 in 2011.

3. After getting off to a slow start and trailing 12-8, Illinois scored on four straight possessions over a 1:41 span (9:29 to 7:48) to complete a 9-0 run that made it 17-12. The Illini took a 31-25 edge into halftime.

4. After the Huskers scored the first 13 points of the second half, the Illini used a 20-8 run to turn a 36-31 deficit into a 51-44 advantage. The Orange and Blue never relinquished the lead.

5. Illinois, which entered the game leading the NCAA in free throw percentage at 79.6 percent, continued its strong shooting at the line, going 20-of-23 (87 percent).

6. Senior Rayvonte Rice poured in a game-high 23 points, marking his eighth 20-point game of the season. He hit a key three-pointer with 1:35 remaining in the game that helped push the Illini lead to 59-50 and seal the victory.

7. Freshman Leron Black connected on a season-high five free throws while finishing with 11 points and five rebounds.

8. Senior Nnanna Egwu turned in a solid defensive effort with four blocks to go along with eight rebounds and six points.

9. Sophomores Kendrick Nunn (11) and Malcolm Hill (10) also entered double figures.

10. Illinois' final home game against Nebraska also was Senior Night at State Farm Center. These four departing seniors - Nnanna Egwu, Rayvonte Rice, Ryan Schmidt and Ahmad Starks - were honored before Wednesday's game.

11. The Illini seniors - Rice (23), Egwu (6) and Starks (5) - combined for 34 points, while manager-turned-player Ryan Schmidt entered a game for the second time this year and played the final 18.9 seconds.

12. To recognize the 10th anniversary of the 2004-05 Fighting Illini team that won a school-record 37 games and finished as national runner-up, bobbleheads of the starting five from that beloved squad are being given out to 1,000 fans at each Big Ten weeknight home game this season. Tonight's game featured the set's final bobblehead: Deron Williams, who started all 39 games as a junior, earning consensus second-team All-America honors after averaging 12.5 points and 6.8 assists, which ranked 11th in the nation.

13. Illinois finished the season 5-0 on bobblehead giveaway nights, getting wins on Roger Powell, Jr., bobblehead night (Maryland 1/7), James Augustine bobblehead night (Purdue 1/21), Luther Head bobblehead night (Rutgers 2/3), Dee Brown bobblehead night (Michigan 2/12) and tonight on Deron Williams bobblehead head.

14. Illinois sold out State Farm Center for the third time during 2014-15 with a capacity crowd of 17,085.

15. State Farm Center is undergoing a major renovation, which began following the conclusion of the 2014 basketball season, dubbed the Illinois Renaissance. The most demanding phase of the renovation will begin immediately following tonight's game against Nebraska, meaning the Senior Night contest against the Cornhuskers was the final event for the arena in its original interior layout.