Illini Fall to Michigan State, Dosunmu Injured

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Star Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu crumbled to the floor clutching his left knee while driving for a final shot after Michigan State's Xavier Tillman threw down a huge dunk with 6.6 seconds left that lifted the Spartans over No. 22 Illinois 70-69 Tuesday night at a sold out State Farm Center.

The severity of Dosunmu's injury wasn't immediately made available. The Illini's leading scorer had 17 points Tuesday and is averaging 15.8 per game.

Dosunmu scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half in a furious rally by the Fighting Illini. Having trailed by as many as 20 points in the second half (43-23), Illinois had the lead late until a bucket by Michigan State with six seconds left proved to be the game winner.

Rocket Watts led the Spartans (17-8, 9-5 Big Ten) with 21 points, and Tillman had 17. Aaron Henry and Cassius Winston added 13 and 12, respectively.
Andres Feliz scored 15 points and Kofi Cockburn added 11 for Illinois (16-8, 8-5).

Michigan State went on a 6-0 run midway through the final half. With the Illini struggling from outside, the Spartans played a switching zone defense most of the game, and Illinois had trouble penetrating.

Dosunmu hit two layups and Illinois went on a 10-0 run with nine minutes left. Illinois went on another 10-0 run and took its first lead of the game, 61-60 with 5:27 left.

The Spartans led 37-20 at the half after starting the game in an 8-0 run with 3-pointers by Henry and Winston. Tevian Jones hit a 3-pointer at nearly four minutes into the game. Illinois was flat the entire first half and shot only 26% from the field, while the Spartans shot 50%.

UP NEXT: Illinois travels to Rutgers on Saturday and No. 13 Penn State next Tuesday, before returning home Feb. 24 to host Nebraska. 

ILLINOIS POSTGAME NOTES

Michigan State now leads the all-time series 63-60, while the Illini lead 39-21 in Champaign. 

The Illini trailed by 17 at the half (37-20) and by as many as 20 in the second half (43-23) before a furious rally to take a 61-60 lead with 5:27 left. The Illini took their fist lead after a 22-4 run after trailing 56-39 at the 12:14 mark. 

Illinois led 69-68 with 17.0 seconds left after two clutch free throws by freshman Kofi Cockburn. 

Illinois scored 49 of its 69 points in the second half

The Illini were 18-18 from the free throw line in the second half

Sophomore Ayo Dosunmu scored 15 of his team-leading 17 points in the second half.

Dosunmu was 6-10 from the floor in the second half after going 1-7 in the first.

Junior Andres Feliz score 12 of his 15 points after halftime.

Junior Da'Monte Williams hit 2-of-3 from behind the arc and his 4-of-5 from deep in the last two games after hitting just 4-of-29 three-point attempts in the season's first 22 games. 

Sophomore Tevian Jones score his first basket since Dec. 29 against North Carolina A&T when he hit a three-pointer early in the first half. 

The Illini forced 10 turnovers in the second half, compared to six in the first half.

Michigan State was 2-8 from beyond the arc in the second half after going 5-10 from distance in the first.