Illinois Returns To Win Column, Beats Wisconsin

The win halted a three-game skid in conference play for the Illini (10-5, 1-3 B1G), while the league-leading Badgers (11-3, 3-1) suffered their first loss since Nov. 29, snapping a string of six consecutive wins.

The teams battled throughout the first half with neither squad able to push ahead by more than five points early in the game. The Illini, fueled by timely three-point shooting and a continued emphasis on the defensive end, took control of the game with a 24-6 run that spanned the final 4:20 of the first half (11-3), and the first 5 minutes out of halftime (13-3).

That run erased a five-point Illini deficit (24-19), and gave the Orange and Blue a 13-point lead (43-30), with just more than 15 minutes left in the contest. From that point on, the Badgers drew no closer than seven points (49-42), as the Illini closed out their third top-15 win of the season.

Four Illini tallied double-digits scoring, led by a 24-point effort from Terrence Shannon Jr., and 20 points from Coleman Hawkins.  Jayden Epps (15), and Matthew Mayer (10), also tallied 10+ points.

That group accounted for all 10 of the Illini's triples in the contest, pace by a career-most six from Hawkins. Three-point shooting proved to be a difference in the game, as the Illini shot 53 percent (10-19) from beyond the arc, while holding the Badgers to just 28 percent (8-29).

The Illini are back in action again on Tuesday, traveling to Lincoln, Neb., for an 8 p.m. CT matchup with the Nebraska Cornhuskers from Pinnacle Bank Arena. The game will be broadcast live on BTN.

TEAM NOTES

Saturday's game marked the Illini's fifth of the season vs. an opponent ranked in the AP Top 25.The Illini improve to 3-2 vs. ranke foes, with wins over No. 8 UCLA and No. 2

Texas prior to today's win over No. 14 Wisconsin

For the third consecutive game, the Illini starting lineup was: Sencire Harris, Terrence Shannon Jr., Dain Dainja, Matthew Mayer, and Coleman Hawkins

The Illini are now 2-1 with this starting lineup. 

Illinois shot a season-best 53 percent (10-19) from three-point range, while holding Wisconsin to just 28 percent (8-29) from beyond the arc.

Illinois posted a 37-34 rebounding edge.

The Illini have outrebounded 13 of 15 opponents this season, and entered today's game No. 27 in the NCAA with a 6.7 average rebound margin.

PLAYER NOTES

Freshman Jayden Epps scored 15  points off of the bench, his seventh double-digit scoring game of the season.

Epps has reached double-figures scoring in four consecutive games and is averaging 12.0 ppg. during that stretch.

Senior Terrence Shannon Jr. tallied a game-high 24 points for his team-leading 12th double-digit scoring game of the season.

Shannon has led the team in scoring seven games this season and has posted 20+ points five times.

Shannon also pulled down a team-most eight rebounds, his fifth game of the season as the Illini's top rebounder.

Junior Coleman Hawkins scored 20 points, including knocking down a career-most six three-pointers.

Hawkins now has 14-career double-digit scoring games (a team-most) and has reached 10+ points seven times this season.His 20 points were just shy of his career-high 23 set earlier this season vs. Eastern Illinois when he knocked down a then-career-best five three-pointers.

Fifth year Matthew Mayer scored 10 points, all in the second half.

Mayer has reached double-figures scoring on seven occasions, including six of the Illini's last seven contests dating back to a season-high 21 points in Illinois' win vs. No. 2 Texas on Dec. 6.