LINCOLN, Neb. – The Fighting Illini opened Big Ten play with a 75-60 loss at Nebraska Sunday in Lincoln. Nebraska opened up an early 11-point lead, then held off Illinois in the Big Ten conference opener for both teams.
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (14 pts), Kipper Nichols (12 pts) and Ayo Dosunmu (10 pts) all scored in double figures, but the Illini fell to 2-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Nebraska (7-1) came out hot, hitting its first three field goals and all six of its free throws to go up 13-2 just 2½ minutes into the game.
Illinois (2-6) trimmed its deficit to four points midway through the first half but Nebraska closed on a 10-2 run to take a 39-23 halftime lead.
The Illini cut the Husker lead to 10 early in the second half and came within nine three times in the final 17 minutes, the last time at 60-51 on Da'monte Williams' jumper with 6:26 left. But a 7-0 Nebraska flurry capped by a breakaway Isaiah Roby dunk put Nebraska up 70-53 with 3:40 left.
The Huskers hit 25 of 30 from the free-throw line, including 12 of 14 by David Palmer, who finished with a game high 23 points. Illinois made 8 of its 13 free-throw attempts.
Isaac Copeland had 16 points and Glynn Watson, Jr. had 14 points for Nebraska.
The Fighting Illini entered the game ranked 18th in 3-pointers, making an average of 10.9 per game on 40 percent shooting. Illinois was 6 of 15 from 3-point range Sunday, shooting exactly 40 percent.
Up Next: Illinois hosts No. 16 Ohio State on Wednesday in Chicago at United Center (6 pm CT on BTN).
ILLINOIS POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
• A charter member of the conference, Illinois opened its 114th season of Big Ten basketball.
• Illinois fell to 67-47 all-time in Big Ten openers.
• Illinois is 23-29 all-time when beginning conference play on the road.
• Illinois leads the all-time series against Nebraska 14-8.
• Illinois starts the 2018-19 season by playing six of its first nine games away from home, with seven of those nine contests against high-major opponents. Illinois faces Ohio State on Wednesday at the United Center.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Freshman forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili scored a team-high 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, his second straight game scoring in double figures (22 at Notre Dame) and his fourth 10+-point game this season. Bezhanishvili upped his scoring average to 10.0 points per game. He also added a team-high six rebounds.
• Redshirt junior forward Kipper Nichols scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, his fourth time scoring in double figures this season. Nichols is shooting 55.3-percent this season (26-47).
• Freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu scored 10 points, his fifth time scoring in double figures this season.
