Illinois routs Minnesota to snap five-game skid
Ayo Dosunmu scored 23 points, Giorgi Bezhanishvili added 20 points and Illinois used one of its best first halves this season to end a five-game skid with a 95-68 victory against Minnesota on Wednesday night at State Farm Center in Champaign.
The Illini (5-12, 1-5 Big Ten) led 51-28 at halftime on the back of hot shooting and a strong glass presence. It was their largest halftime lead in a Big Ten game since leading Northwestern 47-24 on Jan. 6, 2011.
The Golden Gophers (13-4, 3-3), who led for just 28 seconds, hadn’t allowed more than 44 points in a first half when they arrived at State Farm Center.
Dosunmu, the Illini’s second-leading scorer, scored 15 points and fellow freshman Bezhanishvili tallied 14 points and five rebounds at the end of the first half.
Backing the college newcomers were Trent Frazier with 15 points and Andres Feliz with 10 points as Illinois shot 56.1 percent.
Under second-year coach Brad Underwood, Illinois earned its first conference victory since Feb. 25, 2018.
Butler 87, DePaul 69
Femi Olujobi had 13 of his 23 points in the second half, but the Blue Demons had their two-game winning streak halted at Wintrust Arena.
The Blue Demons (10-6, 3-2 Big East) were ahead 47-46 almost four minutes into the second half when Aaron Thompson hit two three-pointers and Jordan Tucker followed with two more for the Bulldogs (11-7, 2-3). Henry Baddley completed a three-point play with 12:07 to go to cap a 17-0 run.
Olujobi got DePaul within nine twice, the last time with 5:27 to go, but Tucker’s threepointer started a game-breaking 12-2 run to close it out.
Iowa 89, Penn State 82
Luka Garza matched a season-high 22 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds for the No. 23 Hawkeyes (15-3, 4-3 Big Ten), who won their fourth straight and ninth of 10.
The Nittany Lions (7-11, 0-7) led for most of the second half but lost their fifth straight.