ILLINOIS ROLLS in big ten opener
Alfonso Plummer scored 24 points, Kofi Cockburn had a double-double and Illinois cruised to an 86-51 victory over Rutgers on Friday night at State Farm Center in Champaign in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Cockburn, who came in leading the nation in scoring at 26.8 points per game, had a season-low 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds. Jacob Grandison added 16 points for the Illini (6-2).
Hawkins hit a three-pointer and then Williams hit another to gave Illinois the lead for good and spark a 16-2 run that made it 18-7 with 11 minutes left in the first half. Ron Harper Jr. answered with two free throws, but Grandison had 10 points as the Illini scored 14 of the next 18 to make it 32-13 about five minutes later. Illinois led by double figures the rest of the way.
The Scarlet Knights (4-4) shot just 31% (21-for-68) from the field. Illinois was 32-for66 (48%) from the field, hit 12 three-pointers and won the battle of the boards 47-33.
♦ Jaden Ivey scored 19 points, Trevion Williams had 13 points and 18 rebounds and No. 2 Purdue held off a late rally by visiting Iowa to win 77-70 in the Big Ten opener for both teams. The Boilermakers (8-0) had a 63-44 lead dwindle to 70-68 with 3:08 left after the Hawkeyes (7-1) went on an 11-0 run. Purdue figures to replace No. 1 Duke atop the AP poll next week.
♦ Notre Dame suffered its third consecutive loss and fourth in its last five games after being routed by host Boston College 73-57. Prentiss Hubb had 15 points to lead the Irish (3-4). James Karnik had 17 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Eagles (6-3), who never trailed.
♦ Mark Turgeon stepped down as Maryland’s coach after a slow start to his 11th season knocked the team out of the Top 25. Danny Manning was named interim coach for the remainder of the season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Utah routs Oregon for 1st Rose Bowl bid
Devin Lloyd returned an interception for a touchdown, Cam Rising threw for another score and No. 17 Utah clinched the first Rose Bowl berth in school history with a 38-10 victory over No. 10 Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game in Las Vegas.
The game was a near carbon copy of the one in Salt Lake City two weeks ago when the Utes (10-3) jumped out early and won
38-7. The game all but ended the playoff hopes for Oregon (10-3), but the school still is offering coach Mario Cristobal a contract extension, according to sources.
♦ Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers is set to enter the transfer portal after only taking a handful of snaps, sources confirmed to ESPN.
NBA
Blazers executive Olshey dismissed
The Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager, after an investigation into workplace conduct. Olshey, 56, had been the general manager of the Blazers since 2012, and was promoted to president of basketball operations in 2015. Director of player personnel Joe Cronin was promoted to interim general manager.
MISCELLANEOUS fire’s Slonina added to USMNT ROSTER
Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina was called up to the U.S. men’s senior national team for its Dec. 18 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Carson, California.
The Fire also re-signed defender Wyatt Omsberg for 2022 with team options for 2023 and 2024.
♦ Bryson DeChambeau shot an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa and Tony Finau at the Hero World Challenge in Nassau, Bahamas. ✶