CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Kofi Cockburn scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead Illinois past The Citadel 85-57 on Wednesday night.
It was the fourth double-double of the young season for Cockburn, a muscular, 7-foot freshman. Cockburn's 17 rebounds broke a school single-game record for a freshman, previously held by Deon Thomas and Damir Krupalija (16). Cockburn is the only freshman in the country with four double-doubles through five games.
"He just gets better each game," said Illinois coach Brad Underwood. "He's starting to understand that the ball doesn't just come to you, you have to go get it."
Ayo Dosunmu and Giorgi Bezhanishvili each added 16 points for Illinois (4-1).
Kaelon Harris led The Citadel (1-4) with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Illini held the Bulldogs to 7 of 36 shooting (19%) in the first half and scored 51 points in the second half while holding the Bulldogs to 37.
Cockburn had eight points and 11 rebounds as Illinois led 34-20 at the half. His presence under the basket wasn't an accident.
"Coach tells me every game that rebounding should be my goal, my mindset," Cockburn said.
Bezhanishvili, a 6-9 power forward who grew accustomed to being the big man last year, has not only adapted well to his new role but has become best friends with Cockburn off the court.
"I'm not satisfied with Kofi tonight," Bezhanishvili said, grinning. "I tell him that every game, though. He needs to go out next game and get 20 rebounds. He can do better."
Underwood praised both men, but noted he was especially pleased with Bezhanishvili's play.
"I think tonight was Giorgi's best night all around this season," Underwood said. "He's adapted to his new role beautifully. Have you seen his passing? His outside shooting? He was outstanding tonight."
The Bulldogs beat Southeast Missouri on Tuesday for their first win of the year, but lost leading scorer Hayden Brown with an apparent hamstring injury.
"I have to give a lot of respect to The Citadel," Bezhanishvili said. "They played and played hard last night. That's not easy."
HIGHLIGHT REEL
Up 40-20 with 17:56 left in the game, Cockburn brought the crowd to its feet with a monster one-handed dunk.
On the next offensive play for Illinois, the Illini showed their versatility when Trent Frazier nailed a 3-pointer after a takeaway.
Up Next
Illinois hosts Hampton on Saturday, Nov. 23, the third of five-games at the State Farm Center (7 pm CT).
Team Notes
• Illinois moved to 4-1 to start the season
• Illinois played The Citadel for the first time in program history.
• Illinois outrebounded The Citadel by 20 (55-35). The Illini have outrebounded opponents 232-143 in the first five games for a +17.8 margin.
• Illinois' 55 rebounds were its most since 2000 (55 vs. No. 6 Maryland 11/21/2000 in Maui).
• Illinois held The Citadel to just 28 percent shooting from the field (21-74). That is the lowest shooting percentage the Illini have held an opponent to this season.
• The Illini grabbed a season-best 22 offensive rebounds, which helped lead to a season-high 30 second chance points.
• The game was the second of a five-game home stand and a stretch of 7 of 8 games at home.
Individual Notes
• Freshman Kofi Cockburn had 18 points and 17 rebounds, breaking the Illinois record for rebounds by a freshman set by Deon Thomas (16 at Memphis, 12/29/1990). Damir Krupalija (16 at Indiana, 1/3/1999) and Michael Finke (16 in OT at Minnesota, 1/23/16).
• Cockburn's 17 rebounds are the most by an Illini since Mike Davis also grabbed 17 boards in an overtime win over Northwestern on Dec. 30, 2009.
• Cockburn is just the third power conference player this season to have 17+ point and 17+ rebounds in a game. He had 10 rebounds in the first 10:34 of game time on his way to his fourth double-double in the first five games.
• Cockburn is tied for the national lead in double-doubles and has the most in the nation among freshmen. He is the first freshman in the nation to have four double-doubles in the first five games since Deandre Ayton (Arizona) and Brandon McCoy (UNLV) in 2017-18.
• Cockburn is the first Big Ten freshman with four double-doubles in the first five games of a season since Indiana's Noah Vonleh in 2013-14.
• Sophomore Giorgi Bezhanishvili had 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and nine rebounds, his second straight game finishing one rebound short of a double-double.
• Sophomore Ayo Dosunmu had 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting to up his scoring average to 14.0 per game.
• Junior Trent Frazier dished a season-high five assists.
• Freshman Jermaine Hamlin scored his first-career points on a dunk late in the game
• Junior walk-on and former team manager Zach Griffith scored his first career point with a free throw in the final seconds.
• Freshman Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk finished with two blocks, the first of his career.
