The Trentonian (Trenton, NJ)

Rutgers goes down against Illinois in OT

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CHAMPAIGN, ILL. >> Giorgi Bezhanishv­ili scored a career-high 35 points to lead Illinois to a 9994 overtime win over Rutgers on Saturday.

It was the third consecutiv­e win for Illinois (9-15, 5-8 Big Ten Conference), and the fourth in its last five games. The Illini beat No. 9 Michigan State on Tuesday.

Bezhanishv­ili’s free throw put Illinois up 93-92 in overtime, his jumper on the next possession made it 95-92 with two minutes left, and the Illini outscored the Scarlet Knights 4-2 from there.

Trent Frazier added 17 points and Ayo Dosunmu 12 for Illinois.

Caleb McConnell led the Scarlet Knights with 25 points. Montez Mathis scored 17 and Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker added 15 each. Eugene Omoruyi grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for Rutgers (11-12, 4-9).

Illinois was 36 of 73 from the field for 49-percent shooting, while Rutgers went 37-79 (51 percent).

Both teams kept pace in the first half, trading leads until Rutgers jumped ahead on a layup by Myles Johnson with 2:59 left before the break.

The Scarlet Knights led 45-42 at halftime.

 ?? ROBIN SCHOLZ — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Rutgers center Shaquille Doorson (2) goes against Illinois guards Aaron Jordan (23) and Da’Monte Williams (20) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Champaign, Ill., Saturday.
ROBIN SCHOLZ — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Rutgers center Shaquille Doorson (2) goes against Illinois guards Aaron Jordan (23) and Da’Monte Williams (20) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Champaign, Ill., Saturday.

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