Illinois Books Spot in Big Ten Tournament Title Game With Second-Half Comeback Win Over Nebraska

MINNEAPOLIS – A strong second half and a record-breaking performance from Terrence Shannon Jr. saw Illinois overcome a 15-point second-half deficit and secure a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game with a 98-87 win over Nebraska on Saturday afternoon.

Outscoring the Cornhuskers in the second half, 58-36, the Illini led by as many as 15 and earned a berth in the conference tournament's title game for the second time in four seasons.

Shannon finished with career-high 40 points, the most scored by any player in Big Ten Tournament history. Going 50% from the field while making five 3-pointers, Shannon totaled 22 points in the second half to tie the No. 5 single-game scoring mark in program history. Shannon also totaled two rebounds, two steals, and one assist while going 13-for-16 from the free-throw line.

Marcus Domask amassed 16 points, 10 of which came in the first half. Domask also grabbed seven rebounds, and he dished out a team-best eight assists, his second-best mark in a game this season. He also added one steal.

Quincy Guerrier also recorded double-digit points with a 13-point performance. After tallying just two points in the first half, Guerrier went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field after the break to secure his 19th game in double figures this season. He also hauled in two rebounds.

Ty Rodgers secured a team-high 13 rebounds, including a career-best seven boards on the offensive glass. Rodgers also poured in eight points, and he totaled four assists, one short of his career-high tally.

Luke Goode notched double-digit points for the sixth time this season, connecting from beyond the arc four times in his 12-point scoring effort. Goode's 3-pointer with eight-and-a-half minutes to play put the Illini ahead for good, while four of his six boards came on the offensive end of the floor.

Coleman Hawkins added nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. He now has multiple blocks in back-to-back games for the third time this season.

A back-and-forth first five minutes resulted in four lead changes, while Shannon connected from deep on consecutive possessions during that stretch. Four of the Illini's five starters got a field goal to fall within the opening six minutes of play, with the teams knotted, 12-12, early in the contest. 

The Illini's next 12 points all came from Shannon. Despite his strong start offensively, the Cornhuskers took the lead and did not trail for the final 14:36 of the first half.

Domask and Goode both knocked down two 3-pointers over the final six-and-a-half minutes of the frame, and Illinois went into the break facing a 51-40 deficit. Shannon's 18 first-half points were a game-high mark, while Domask tallied 10 points through the first 20 minutes of action.

The Cornhuskers scored the first four points of the second half to extend their lead, 55-40, but the Illini began to battle back. A 13-2 run for the Orange and Blue cut Illinois' deficit down to single digits with just under 14 minutes to play. Rodgers started that stretch with a layup before Shannon and Guerrier combined for the team's next 11 points. Holding Nebraska scoreless for over four minutes, the Illini trimmed the Cornhuskers' advantage down to four points, 57-53, with 13:27 to play. 

Nebraska stopped its scoring drought to move its edge up to six points before Shannon splashed in his fourth 3-pointer of the game to cut the Illini's deficit in half. Two-and-a-half minutes later, Shannon surpassed the 30-point mark with an and-1 layup, which cut the Cornhusker lead to 66-63.

Just 20 seconds later, Domask tallied his first points of the second half, grabbing a steal and making the ensuing fast-break layup to cut the Illini's deficit down to one point. With the Cornhuskers moving their lead back up to three points on their next possession, Goode converted his third 3-pointer of the day to tie the game at 68 with just over nine minutes to play.

Nebraska briefly moved back in front from the free-throw line before Goode made his fourth trey to give Illinois its first advantage since the opening four minutes of the game, 71-70. The Illini would never trail the rest of the way. After forcing a stop on the Cornhuskers' next trip down the floor, the Orange and Blue corralled an offensive board that lled to a Hawkins second-chance layup. Domask's layup on another offensive rebound less than 30 seconds later capped off a 7-0 run that gave Illinois a 75-70 edge.

With the Illini's advantage down to four points just over one minute later, Hawkins made his first 3-pointer before Guerrier moved into double figures with a layup. Shannon then rattled in his fifth triple to cap off an 8-1 scoring stretch to move Illinois' lead into double figures with three-and-a-half minutes remaining.

A Guerrier triple and dunks from Shannon and Rodgers put an exclamation mark on the Illini's victory, confirming a spot for Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament title game for the first time since 2021.

Illinois moves on to the conference title game, taking on fifth-seeded Wisconsin for the second time this season. The championship clash will be the first meeting in the Big Ten Tournament between the Illini and Badgers since 2010, while the sides are 3-3 all-time against each other in the conference tournament. The game will tip at 2:30 p.m. CT from the Target Center in Minneapolis and will air on CBS.

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCE

POSTGAME NOTES

Player Notes

• Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a career-high 40 points while also totaling two rebounds, two steals, and one assist.
  • Shannon's 40 points set a new Big Ten Tournament record, surpassing a record of 35 points that stood for 13 years (Northwestern's Michael Thompson vs. Minnesota on March 10, 2011).
  • Shannon's 40 points eclipsed the Illini scoring record in the Big Ten Tournament set by Kipper Nichols (31) vs. Iowa on Feb. 28, 2018.
  • Shannon's 40 points are the most by an Illini player, overall, since Malcolm Hill had 40 against Northern Kentucky on Nov. 13, 2016, and the most by an Illini vs. a Big Ten opponent since Brandon Paul had 43 vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2012. 
  • Shannon scored 30+ points for the fifth time this season, tied with Andy Kaufman (1990-91) for second-most in a single season in program history.
  • He now has six games of 30+ points as an Illini, tied for the second-most in program history with Malcolm Hill (2014-17), Kiwane Garris (1994-97), Andy Kaufmann (1989-93), and Rick Schmidt (1973-75)
  • Shannon scored in double figures for the 37th consecutive game.
  • Finished with five 3-pointers, his third game this season with at least five 3-pointers, and the seventh time in his last eight games with at least two 3-pointers. 
  • Shannon also set a Big Ten Tournament record with 13 free-throws made.
• Marcus Domask scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out a team-high eight assists, and made one steal.
  • Tallied double-digit points for the 25th time this season, and the 22nd time in his last 24 games.
  • Registered two 3-pointers, his seventh game of the season with multiple triples. 
  • His eight assists are his second-most in a game this season (11 vs. FDU on Dec 29)
  • Recorded 7+ rebounds for the ninth time this season.
• Quincy Guerrier tallied 13 points while hauling in two rebounds.
  • Secured a double-digit scoring effort for the 19th time this season and the fourth time in his last six games. 
• Ty Rodgers snagged a team-best 13 rebounds while recording eight points and making four assists.
  • Rodgers recorded his fifth-career game with 10+ rebounds and his second consecutive.
  • Grabbed a career-high seven offensive rebounds.
  • Finished with four assists, one shy of his career-best mark, for his sixth game of the year with at least four. 
• Coleman Hawkins accumulated nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a team-high two blocks.
  • Corralled seven or more rebounds for the 17th time this season, and the fifth straight game overall.
  • Made two blocks, his 10th game this season with multiple swats.
• Luke Goode tied a career-high with four 3-pointers while finishing with 12 points off the bench.
  • Has multiple treys in 15 games this season.
  • Recorded his fourth game this season with four triples and his first since Jan. 5 at #1 Purdue.
  • Scored in double figures for the sixth time this season and for the seventh time in his career.
  • Grabbed six rebounds, his most since Feb. 10 against Michigan State.
  • Recorded a career-best four offensive rebounds. 

Team Notes

• Saturday's win marks Illinois' 33rd Big Ten Tournament win in program history, the third-best mark in the conference. 
• Illinois advances to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2021 and the eighth time overall, breaking a tie with Michigan State and Wisconsin for the second-most in conference history. 
• Illinois is now 8-6 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
• The Illini improve to 10-2 all-time as the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
• Illinois is now 5-2 all-time in the BTT vs. the No. 3 seed. 
• Illinois is now 23-8 in Big Ten Tournament games when it is the higher (better) seed.
• The Illini recorded their most points ever in a Big Ten Tournament game (98), surpassing the previous mark of 94 set in 2000 (vs. Penn State) and again in 2003 (vs. Northwestern).
  • The Illini's 98 points are the second-most in a single game by any team in Big Ten Tournament history.
• The Illini's 98 points are the most the Cornhuskers have allowed in a game this season.
• Illinois overcame its largest halftime deficit of the season (11).
  • Illinois shot 59.4% from the field in the second half, while holding the Cornhuskers to 36.1% from the field.
• The Illini have now won nine consecutive games against the Cornhuskers, the longest streak for either program in series history.
• Illinois knocked down 13 3-pointers, which tied its best mark of the season.
• The Illini went 21-for-26 from the free-throw line (.808), the 14th time the team has shot 80% or better from the stripe.
• Illinois totaled 18 assists, its second-most in a game this season and the most against a Big Ten opponent since also recording 18 against the Cornhuskers when the sides met in Champaign on Feb. 4.