MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 28 factors to assist No. 13 Illinois overcome a 10-point second-half deficit and beat Ohio State 77-74 within the quarterfinals of the Huge Ten Event on Friday evening.
The sport was tied at 71 when Jamison Battle sank a 3-pointer to place Ohio State forward with 1:44 to play. However Shannon and Coleman Hawkins every hit a pair of free throws to place Illinois up 75-74 coming into the ultimate minute.
Shannon made two extra free throws with 11.3 second left to go up 77-74. Battle had an opportunity to tie the sport on a 3-pointer when Illinois (24-8) uncared for to foul and forestall a shot, however the ball bounced off the rim.
Battle led Ohio State (20-13) with 21 factors. Bruce Thornton had 20 factors and 10 assists.
Dain Dainja had 18 factors and eight rebounds and Ty Rodgers had 12 factors and 10 rebounds for Illinois.
The second-seeded Illini will play the winner of Indiana and Nebraska on Saturday within the semifinal spherical.
Ohio State had gained seven of its earlier 9 video games in a late-season push to make the NCAA Event. That included a win over then-No. 2 Purdue within the first recreation for interim coach Jake Diebler, who stepped into the job after Chris Holtmann was fired in mid-February. The Buckeyes gained 5 straight earlier than dropping to the Illini.
“I believe we’ve performed ourselves right into a dialog, and our guys have earned the suitable, for my part, to play within the postseason,” Diebler mentioned.
The Illini survived regardless of not getting a lot from their second- and third-leading scorers on the season, particularly early within the recreation. Marcus Domask (16.0 ppg) went 0 for six from the ground within the first half and completed with seven factors. And Hawkins (12.9 ppg) had simply seven factors and 7 rebounds.
Hawkins, nevertheless, stepped up within the second half, particularly down the stretch. Within the final 5 minutes, the 6-foot-10 senior had 4 factors, an help, two blocks, and 4 rebounds — three on the offensive finish.
“These had been profitable performs, and people are performs that it’s a must to make this time of 12 months,” Illini coach Brad Underwood mentioned. “There’s little doubt these had been the decisive moments on this recreation. For a senior to step up and do that claims quite a bit, particularly not on his greatest evening. However Coleman needed to maintain taking part in right here.”
Ohio State held a lead for a lot of the second half, stretching its cushion to 10 factors with 11 minutes to go. It wasn’t till the made free throws by Shannon and Hawkins with simply over a minute remaining that Illinois took again the lead.
“I believe we got here out within the second half a little bit lackadaisical, however we withstood it, and we got here collectively and located a manner,” Rodgers mentioned.
Underwood, who famous that the Illini had trailed by double digits solely thrice this season, mentioned the problem got here on the excellent time for his staff as they head into the guts of March Insanity.
“It’s survive and advance, which is what postseason play is all about,” Underwood mentioned. “I don’t doubt this staff’s toughness and their grit, however I believe we have now to be taught why we have now these moments. We didn’t play very effectively offensively. We’ve bought to play higher.”
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Illinois will get the winner of Friday’s late quarterfinal. The Illini beat the Hoosiers 70-62 in January and the Cornhuskers 87-84 in February.
Ohio State should wait till groups are chosen Sunday to see if its late-season push was sufficient to make it into the NCAA Event.
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