CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) – Alan Griffin scored 15 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 14 and Illinois beat Old Dominion 69-55 on Saturday at State Farm Center.
Seven-foot freshman center Kofi Cockburn scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Illinois (8-3), narrowly missing his seventh double-double.
The Illini led 40-25 at the half, holding the Monarchs scoreless the final 3:21 before the break. Illinois opened the game with a 7-0 run and led 13-4 less. Cockburn was everywhere, blocking shots on one end and dunking the ball on the other. The big man had nine points and three rebounds at the break.
Illinois opened the game with a 7-0 run and another 6-0 spurt before the half. The Illini also ripped off a 7-0 run early in the second half to widen the lead to 51-32 with 10:55 left.
"We had a few mental lapses, which we'll work on in practice," said Illinois coach Brad Underwood. "But overall, I'm happy with our guys' performance."
A.J. Oliver II led Old Dominion (3-8) with a game-high 17 points. Xavier Green added 13 points for the Monarchs.
UP NEXT
The Illini are off until next Saturday, when they head to St. Louis for the annual Braggin' Rights rivalry game against Missouri (12/21 at noon CT).
GAME NOTES
- Illinois improved to 8-3 on the season and 2-0 all time against Old Dominion.
- Alan Griffin hit 6-of-7 shots for a team-high 15 points. His .857 shooting percentage was a career high (minimum 3 FGA).
- Freshman Kofi Cockburn nearly had his seventh double-double of the season with 11 points and nine rebounds. He already is tied for the Illinois freshman double-doubles record with six.
- With a 5-of-6 performance from the free throw line, Kofi Cockburn has now made 28 of his last 32 foul shots (0.875) after starting the year 17-34 (.500).
- Illinois' .900 free throw percentage (18-of-20) was its best of the season and marked just the sixth time since 2010-11 that the Illini had shot 90 percent or better on 20 or more shots.
- Sophomore Ayo Dosunmu added 14 points, his 31st career game in double-figures and the eighth time this season.
- Junior Trent Frazier had a season-high four steals, to go along with nine points and three assists.
- Sophomore guard Tevian Jones made his season debut, playing four minutes.
