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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A career night from Kofi Cockburn and red-hot shooting by Alfonso Plummer led the Illini to a gritty 94-85 victory over the University of Texas- Rio Grande Valley Friday evening at the State Farm Center.
Cockburn scored a career-high 38 points, the most points by an Illini since Malcom Hill dropped 40 vs. Northern Kentucky on Nov. 13, 2016. Cockburn also added ten rebounds on the evening for his second-straight and 30th career double-double, moving him into seventh on the career double-doubles list in Illini history.
Plummer had his second-straight 20+ point performance, scoring 30 points on six threes. Plummer has made 13 shots behind-the-arc over the last two games, the third-most in a two-game stretch in Illinois history. Da'Monte Williams led Illinois in helpers with a career-high eight on the night.
Illinois jumped out to a quick lead thanks to two treys from Plummer and a bucket by Coleman Hawkins, but the Vaqueros got hot early and vaulted to a 24-12 lead at the halfway mark of the first half thanks to a 17-point scoring run.
Gallery: (11-26-2021) Men's Basketball vs. UTRGV
Illinois responded to the early deficit behind red-hot shooting from Plummer and a dominant scoring period by Cockburn. Plummer hit another three treys, while Cockburn scored 10 of the Illini's final 13 points in the half to give the home team a two-point 39-37 lead at the half.
UTRGV started the second half with another red-hot scoring flash, hitting four threes and making their first seven shots from the field. Illinois continued to respond and kept it close thanks to control in the paint from Cockburn, adding another eight points and throwing down a pair of dunks. Cockburn ended with 22 points in the second half.
After trading the lead 12 times in the second half, Illinois grabbed the lead at the 5:49 mark after Hawkins drained a three-pointer. UTRGV continued to fight, tying the game four different times in the final five minutes of the contest. The Illini pulled away late thanks to lockdown defense and clutch free-throws, earning their eighth-straight victory at the State Farm Center.
Postgame Notes
• Kofi Cockburn set a career high in scoring, pouring in 38 points on 15-of-19 shooting with 8-of-11 from the foul line. His 15 field goals also were a career high.
• It marked the second 30-point game of Cockburn's career, eclipsing his previous career bests set last season when he had 33 points on 12-15 FG vs. Minnesota (12/15/20).
• It was the most points by an Illini player since Malcolm Hill scored 40 vs. Northern Kentucky on 11/13/16.
• Cockburn's 38 are the most points without a 3-point field goal in the NCAA this season, eclipsing Gonzaga's Drew Timme's 37 points vs. Texas (11/13/21).
• Cockburn recorded his 30th career double-double, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with his 38 points.
• Cockburn is just the second player in the NCAA this season to have a game with at least 38 points & 10 boards, joining Mercer's Felipe Haase (41 pts & 10 reb at Winthrop, 11/13/21).
• Alfonso Plummer scored a season-high 30 points, draining six 3-pointers.
• Plummer's six treys vs. UTRGV followed his seven triples on Tuesday vs. Kansas State. His combined 13 threes are third-most in consecutive games in Illini history.
• Cockburn (38) and Plummer (30) gave Illinois two 30-point scorers in the same game for the first time since 12/3/90, when Andy Kaufmann had 46 and Deon Thomas had 34 in a double overtime game vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
• Da'Monte Williams set a career high with eight assists.
• Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk had a career-high six assists in 12 minutes.
• Illinois won its eighth straight game at State Farm Center.
• Illinois started its fifth different lineup in six games this season.
• Austin Hutcherson earned his first career start with the Fighting Illini.
• Illinois was without three starters for the game: Andre Curbelo, Trent Frazier, and Jacob Grandison.
