No. 6 Illini Beat Nebraska in OT for Fifth-Straight Win

LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 6 Fighting Illini defeated Nebraska 77-72 in overtime on Friday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The victory extends the Illini's winning streak to five games. Illinois has won their last five overtime games since Feb. 19, 2019 vs. Rutgers (99-94).

Junior Ayo Dosunmu led the scoring effort for the Illini with a game-high 31 points on 12-for-23 shooting. The 31 points for Dosunmu were a career high in league play. Dosunmu had 15 consecutive points for Illinois over a 4:21 stretch at the end of the second half and beginning of overtime.

Sophomore Kofi Cockburn recorded his 14th double-double of the season with 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while freshman Adam Miller chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.

Illinois trailed 64-58 with 2:55 remaining in the second half. The Illini finished the half on an 8-2 run, including a layup by Dosunmu with 0:20 seconds left. The Illinois defense did not allow Nebraska to get a final shot off in regulation. 

Nebraska jumped out to a 9-0 start at the beginning of the contest. Illinois stormed back with an 11-2 run of their own, tying the game at 11-11 with 12:06 remaining in the first half. Nebraska regained the lead after that for much of the first half before Illinois battled back again to trim the deficit to 34-33 Nebraska entering halftime.

UP NEXT

Illinois returns to State Farm Center on Tuesday, Feb. 16 to take on Northwestern. Tip-off is set for 8:00 pm CT on BTN.

NOTES

• Illinois won its fifth-straight game to move to 14-5 overall and 10-3 in the Big Ten.

• Illinois' 10-3 Big Ten record is its best through 13 games since the 2005 Big Ten championship team went 15-1.

• Illinois has won four straight Big Ten road games, its longest streak since setting a school record with 13 straight Big Ten road wins from Feb. 3, 2004 through Feb. 19, 2005. 

• Illinois and Nebraska played to overtime for the first time in series history (25th game dating back to 1921). 

• Illinois has won five straight overtime games since 2019. Ayo Dosunmu has scored 13 points (3.25 per OT) and shot 71.4% (5-7) in four of those overtime games (fouled out at Indiana 2/2/21), including five points on 3-of-4 shooting at Nebraska. 

• Illinois had eight blocks at Nebraska, tied for its most in a game this season and the most for the Illini on the road since Feb. 22, 2011 at #2 Ohio State (8).

• Ayo Dosunmu had 31 points, his most career points in a Big Ten game, including 22 points combined in the second half and overtime. Dosunmu's 31 points were the second-most of his career (36 at Missouri 12/12/20) and his fourth 30-point game of the season. Dosunmu made 12 shots, the second-most of his career (13 at Missouri 12/12/20).

• Owning numbers of 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, Ayo Dosunmu is solidifying his candidacy for First-Team All-America status and has moved into the National Player of the Year conversation as well. He is the only player in the NCAA over the last 11 seasons to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, all while leading Illinois Basketball back among the nation's elite. 

• Kofi Cockburn ranks second in the NCAA with 14 double-doubles this season, behind only Austin Peay's Terry Taylor with 15. He has posted double-doubles in 11 of 13 Big Ten games, averaging 18.9 points and 11.4 rebounds during league play while shooting 69.0% from the field.