Illinois Gets Resounding Win Over Bethune-Cookman

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois closed its nonconference slate with a resounding 85-52 home victory over Bethune-Cookman at State Farm Center on Thursday night.

Dain Dainja and Sencire Harris made their first starts of the season as head coach Brad Underwood adjusted the Illini's starting lineup in the team's final nonconference action of the year. 

Five different players finished in double figures in the 33-point win, while the Illini brought the intensity on both ends of the floor.

Dainja commanded the paint and scored a career-high 22 points on an efficient 8-for-10 shooting performance while also grabbing six rebounds, making four blocks, and tallying a career-high four steals.

Harris took advantage of the opportunity in his first collegiate start and also set a new career-high scoring mark with 12 points.

Coleman Hawkins notched a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jayden Epps finished in double-digits with 13 and 10 points, respectively. 

Illinois dominated the paint, outscoring the visiting Wildcats, 42-22, in the key and scored 19 fast-break points. The Illini also came to play on defense, making 10 blocks and 10 steals in the win.

The Illini opened the night on a 10-0 run fueled by baskets from four different players just over four minutes into the contest. Five minutes later, Illinois used an 18-2 stretch to push its lead up to 29 points with under five minutes to play, holding Bethune-Cookman without a field goal for nearly seven minutes during that run.

Illinois headed into halftime with a 47-19 advantage, with the Illini using a balanced scoring performance to lead by 28 points at the break. Dainja, Epps, and Shannon Jr. all tallied eight points in the first 20 minutes of action.

The hosts forced 14 turnovers and made eight steals and seven blocks in the first half. Dainja led the team in both categories, registering two blocks and four steals in 13 minutes of first-half action.

Dainja picked up the second half exactly where he left off, scoring eight of Illinois' first 10 points after the break to push the Illini's advantage up to over 30 early in the frame.

Dainja, Hawkins, and Harris led the Illinois offensive attack in the final 20 minutes of play, scoring 30 of the team's 38 second-half points.

Illinois heads into 2023 with a 9-4 record and will resume Big Ten play on Wednesday, when the Illini travel to Evanston to take on Northwestern at 8 p.m. CT.