Illini Suffer Heartbreaking Loss To Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A game-winning three-pointer by Trent Frazier rattled in and out at the buzzer, giving the Fighting Illini a heartbreaking 76-74 defeat at Notre Dame in the 20th annual ACC/B1G Challenge.

The Illini we led by Aaron Jordan (23 points) and Giorgi Bezhanishvili (22 points), career highs for both players. Jordan hit 5-of-7 from behind the arc and is now shooting 50 percent from three-point range this season (21-of-42).

The Irish led 65-52 with 6:30 to go before the Illini mounted their rally that fell just short. A back-and-forth first half yielded nine lead changes and six ties, with the Illini holding a 35-34 advantage at the break.

Illinois freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu had eight points and nine rebounds, guard Andres Feliz had a game-high six assists along with seven points, and Da'Monte Williams had a solid game with six points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Notre Dame guards TJ Gibbs and D.J. Harvey scored 19 points each, and Juwan Durham sparked his team with all of his 10 points and five blocked shots in the second half.

Up Next: Illinois (2-5) opens Big Ten play at Nebraska on Sunday, Dec. 2 (4 pm CT on BTN).

ILLINOIS POSTGAME NOTES

TEAM NOTES

• Illinois trailed by as many as 13 with 6:30 remaining in the second half (Notre Dame 65, Illinois 52) and cut it down to two with 1:33 remaining (Notre Dame 69, Illinois 67) and one with 6.6 seconds remaining (Notre Dame 75, Illinois 74).

• Illinois' two leading scorers - Aaron Jordan (23) and Giorgi Bezhanishvili (22) - both fouled out.

• Illinois leads the all-time series against Norte Dame 27-15.

• Illinois is 8-12 all-time in the ACC/B1G Challenge.

• Illinois and Notre Dame met for just the third time since 1973.

• Illinois traveled to Notre Dame for the first time since Dec. 5, 1955, a 103-93 Illinois victory.

• Illinois has played five games in nine days in three different locations.

• Illinois outrebounded Notre Dame, 39-37.

• Illinois made nine three-pointers on 24 attempts, just the second time this season the Illini have failed to make 10+ threes (6-19 vs. Georgetown).

• Illinois led, 35-34, at the half.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Freshman forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, his first career 20+-point game. Bezhanishvili scored 17 points against Gonzaga 11/19/18.

• Senior guard Aaron Jordan scored a career-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including a career-high tying five three-pointers (on 7 attempts) before fouling out.

• Freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu led Illinois with nine rebounds, his second straight game with nine boards (9 vs. Mississippi Valley State.) Dosunmu added eight points.

• Sophomore guard Da'Monte Williams had a career-high five assists, one more than his previous career high of four vs. Michigan State 1/22/18. Williams added six points and seven rebounds.

Junior guard Andres Feliz had a season-high six assists. Feliz added seven points.