Illinois Basketball: Illini look great in fifth-straight win over Wisconsin

The Illinois basketball team earned win No. 10 and its third win against a ranked opponent with a 79-69 triumph against the Wisconsin Badgers.

After a demoralizing last few weeks for the Illini, the team rebounded in a big way with its first win since December 29 and its fifth-straight win against No. 14 Wisconsin, 79-69. Saturday marked the first Big Ten victory of the season as well.

From the opening tip, Illinois played like a different team in front of a packed State Farm Center, as the absence of Skyy Clark saw Jayden Epps and Ty Rodgers’ minutes increase significantly. Both freshmen combined for 17 points.

Illinois only led for three minutes in the first half, but those minutes proved to pay dividends as the Orange and Blue sprung together a 30-27 lead entering the halftime break, holding the Badgers to 14 points in the paint while forcing 10 turnovers in the process.

After halftime, the Badgers never led again, as the Illini took control of the game’s final 20 minutes from the offensive end.

Coleman Hawkins, a junior and 2023 NBA Draft hopeful, scored 20 points, including 6-of-9 from three-point range, to propel the Illini lead to as many as 13 points midway through the second half.

Terrence Shannon Jr., the senior transfer from Texas Tech, added 24 points, as he led all scorers. And Matthew Mayer, the ex-Baylor standout, went 5-of-6 from the free throw line, compiling an 11-0 run that ultimately decided the game.

Shannon was pleased with the way his team stepped up in big moments, as he had predicted that Illinois would beat the Badgers after Wednesday night’s 13-point road loss to the Northwestern Wildcats. He also has Clark’s full support no matter what the circumstances might be.

“Whatever Skyy’s going through, we’re there for him. It brought us together even more,” Shannon Jr. said after the win.

Illinois basketball looks ahead at what is to come in Big Ten play.

The Illini picked up their 14th conference win in its last 22 games, moving to 8-1 in Champaign thus far this season.

Illinois now begins a stretch of six games in 15 days, as they will travel to Nebraska Wednesday night before hosting Michigan State next Friday. Tipoffs are set for 8 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network and FS1, respectively.