Matt Haufe
FightingIllini.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio. – The No. 4 Fighting Illini defeated No. 7 Ohio State 73-68 in the regular-season finale in Columbus. Illinois finishes the regular season with a 20-6 overall record and a 16-4 mark in Big Ten play.
Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu made his return to the lineup and dropped 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists for the Illini. Freshman Andre Curbelo had another tremendous game, tallying 19 points, five rebounds and six assists, and Kofi Cockburn added 12 points and six rebounds on the afternoon in the top-10 win.
Gallery: (3-6-2021) Illinois at Ohio State - 3/6/2021
It was a game of runs on the first half, as each team went on respective scoring runs throughout the first period. Ayo Dosunmu and Andre Curbelo were heating up in the first half, scoring 11 points each and the team shooting 62% from the field in the first half to lead the Illini to a 41-37 lead at halftime.
After Ohio State took a 68-64 lead with 3:48 to go, an Ayo Dosunmu free throw and three-pointer from Da'Monte Williams knotted the game at 68 with 2:13 to play. It was Ayo o'clock yet again, as Dosunmu scored the Illini's final five points with a huge and-one drive to the basket with :44 to go and two free throws seconds later to ice the league win for the Illini. The Illini held the Buckeyes scoreless for the final 3:48 of the game.
AYO O'CLOCK
Junior guard Ayo Dosunmu made his return to the Illini lineup after missing the past three games with facial injuries and a concussion. Dosunmu made an immediate impact on the Illini offense, adding 11 points in the first half and finishing with 19 points, including the Illini's final five points to push the Illini over the Buckeyes. Dosunmu finished the season averaging 20.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 49.2% shooting from the field and 40% from behind the arc.
FABULOUS FRESHMAN
Freshman guard Andre Curbelo had another stellar performance, dropping a season-high 19 points, five rebounds and six assists in the game. Over the past five games, Curbelo has averaged 15 points, 3.8 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game.
SEASON FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
Illinois won 16 B1G games this season, the most in program history and finished the season with the most wins in consecutive seasons in the league (40). The Illini had four wins over top-10 opponents this season, including three top-10 wins on the road this season. The Illini finished the season with two-straight top-10 wins, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since the Illini defeated No. 9 Arizona in the Elite Eight and No. 4 Louisville in the Final Four of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
NOTES
• Illinois went on a 9-0 run in the final 2:13 at No. 7 Ohio State. Ohio State did not score for the final 3:48.
• Illinois finished the regular season 20-6 overall and 16-4 in the Big Ten.
• Illinois won 11 of its final 12 regular season games.
• Illinois won its final four games, including three straight road games against top 11 kenpom teams at Wisconsin (11), at Michigan (2), and at Ohio State (7).
• Illinois has wins over top-10 teams in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2005 NCAA Tournament, when the No. 1-ranked Illini defeated No. 9 Arizona in the Elite Eight and No. 4 Louisville in the Final Four.
• Illinois won its 20th game, marking the 34th 20-win season in school history and first back-to-back 20-win campaigns since 2013 (23) and 2014 (20).
• Illinois won 16 Big Ten games, the most ever in the history of the program. The previous school record of 15 league victories was set in 1984 (15-3, co-champions) and equaled in 2005 (15-1, champions).
• Illinois has won five top-10 matchups on the road in program history with three this season (at No. 10 Duke, at No. 2 Michigan, at No. 7 Ohio State). The other two occurred in 1989 (at No. 3 Indiana, at No. 8 Michigan).
• Illinois has won four straight games against top-10 teams (at No. 10 Duke, vs. No. 7 Iowa, at No. 2 Michigan, at No. 7 Ohio State).
• Illinois has seven top-10 wins the last three years under Brad Underwood. Illinois has won four top-10 games this season (all in a row), one short of the school record of five top-10 wins set by the 1989 Flyin' Illini.
• Illinois has won six games against AP-ranked teams, its most in a season since 2005 (9).
• Illinois' 29 Big Ten wins over the last two years (29-11) is the most in consecutive seasons in Illini history, one more than 2004-05 (28-4).
• Illinois is the No. 2 seed in next week's Big Ten Tournament and will play the 7/10 winner Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
• Naismith Trophy semifinalist Ayo Dosunmu returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with an injury. He had 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and added four rebounds and three assists.
• Dosunmu finished the regular season with per game averages of 20.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. He is the only player in the NCAA over the last 11 seasons to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists.
• Andre Curbelo had a career-high and game-high 19 points (tied with Ohio State's EJ Liddell) and added five rebounds and six assists.
• Kofi Cockburn had 12 points and six rebounds to finish the regular season with per game averages of 17.3 points on 66.0% shooting and 9.6 rebounds.
