Slow start dooms Illini vs. Rutgers
Cliff Omoruyi had 15 points, 13 rebounds and a reverse alley-oop dunk in Rutgers’ game-breaking run as the Scarlet Knights routed No. 12 Illinois 70-59 Wednesday night in Piscataway, New Jersey, for their fourth straight win over a ranked team.
The run is the longest in school history for the Scarlet Knights (16-9, 10-5 Big Ten), and there’s a chance to continue the streak with games next week at No. 5 Purdue and home against No. 15 Wisconsin. The last team to win four straight against ranked teams in the regular season was Michigan State in 2019-20.
Ron Harper Jr. added 16 points and eight rebounds and had the assist on Omoruyi’s second-half dunk. It was the second basket in a 12-0 run that ballooned the Scarlet Knights’ lead to 47-28. Paul Mulcahy added 13 points and Caleb McConnell had 11.
Rutgers improved to 13-2 at home, and its biggest lead was 60-37 with about six minutes to play.
Center Kofi Cockburn was the only consistent threat for Illinois (18-7, 11-4), finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Trent Frazier added 11 points and RJ Melendez had 10.
The Illini shot 38% from the field, including 6 of 23 from three-point range. They couldn’t find their shooting touch in the first 20 minutes, shooting 32% and connecting only on the last of their 14 three-point attempts.
“All the credit in the world to them,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “That was that was something my team hasn’t seen in a long, long time . . . They deserve all the credit. We had no life, no spirit and no fight.
“My key going into the game was Rutgers has played harder than every single opponent they played in this winning streak. It’s not rocket science, it’s not great execution.’’
Rutgers’ recent run has combined good shooting and defense, and that was evident in the early as the Scarlet Knights opened the game with a 17-7 spurt, featuring six points by Harper. Cockburn had all the Illini points inside. Rutgers led 33-24 at half, a season-low first-half point total for Illinois.
Notre Dame 99, Boston College 95 (OT)
Prentiss Hubb scored the last six points in overtime for the Fighting Irish (19-7, 12-3), who rejoined idle Duke atop the ACC after their fifth consecutive victory.
With Boston College (9-15, 4-10) out of big men in overtime, Notre Dame used its size inside with Paul Atkinson Jr. and Nate Laszewski, the duo combining for first seven Irish points of the extra period. After a three-pointer by Kanye Jones cut the Irish lead to one with 39 seconds left, Hubb banked in a shot in the paint then stole an inbounds pass and made two more free throws. Makai Ashton-Langford hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to two with 2.9 seconds remaining but a final foul and two more Hubb free throws sealed the win.
Hubb finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Dane Goodwin led the Irish with a season-high 23 points, including 18 in the first half.
Loyola 71, Valparaiso 69
Chris Knight, who scored a team-high 20 points, sank the winning layup with 59 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Ramblers (20-5, 11-3 Missouri Valley). Sheldon Edwards (23 points) missed a three-pointer with two seconds left for the Beacons (11-15, 4-10).
Lucas Williamson added 12 points and Tate Hall 11 for the Ramblers, who trailed 3630 at halftime.
Purdue 70, Northwestern 64
Robbie Beran scored 13 points for the host Wildcats (12-12, 5-10 Big Ten) in a losing effort against the No. 5 Boilermakers (23-4, 12-4).