Trent Frazier you can still get buckets. He was once the Illinois basketball scorer in parts of his freshman season, Trent Frazier evolved into a different player as the Illini program grew and became a winner.
But Frazier during the past two games has raised his attack to freshman levels. After scoring 24 points, the record of the season, in Friday’s victory over 8th Iowa, the senior guard scored 14 of Illini’s 19 points, taking 12th Illinois to a 75-71 victory in Indiana. In a game that lasted 2 hours and 44 minutes, the Illini (12-5, 8-3 Big Ten) had a streak of seven consecutive defeats at Assembly Hall since 2010.
After Frazier scored 10 consecutive points to force overtime, Illinois overcame Indiana by 7-3 in the extra period, with Indiana (9-8, 4-6 Big Ten) kicking 0 to 4 from the field with two overturns in overtime. Andre Curbelo gave Kofi Cockburn an emphatic slam with 17 seconds left to seal the victory.
Frazier led Illinois with the team’s best score, 19 points, making 4 of 9 out of three. Kofi Cockburn had his 12th double-double leader in the NCAA to lead Illinois with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Andre Curbelo added 12 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench. Star Guard Illini Ayo Dosunmu was limited to 10 points out of 2 out of 11 shots as he struggled to finish in the ring, and he failed a questionable charge with 2:40 remaining.
Indian forward Trayce Jackson-Davis led Indiana with 19 points and 14 rebounds, but kicked just 6 out of 18 on the field. Race Thompson had a strong game for the Hoosiers, filling the scoreboard with 18 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks.
Illinois had an initial 8-5 lead, but Trent Frazier was called for a technical foul for saying something to the Indiana bank after making three – a call criticized by the ESPN broadcast. The Hoosiers responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead. The first half had six lead changes and six draws, before Indiana ended the time with a series of 13-3, gaining a 41-34 lead, with the Hoosiers overcoming the Illini by 20-12.
But Illinois’ defense was firm in the second half, going in a 16-6 run to start the semester, including a 7-0 run to take the 50-47 lead. But Illinois’ problems and difficulties in finishing the ring cost them during an Indiana 7-0 to regain the 54-50 lead.
But Frazier had a personal 8-0 streak with less than five minutes left to erase Indiana’s six-point lead. With Ayo Dosunmu and Girogi Bezhanishvili on the bench after a foul, Frazier made the free throws with 42 seconds left.
Both teams struggled to score in overtime, but Illinois played in defense, Cockburn’s dunk gave them momentum and they made enough free throws (including two from Da’Monte Williams with 2.9 seconds remaining) to get a big win in the road.
Match statistics: After allowing Indiana to score 1,242 points for possession in the first half, Illinois limited the Hoosiers to 0.844 points for possession in the second half and 0.429 points for possession in the overtime.
The teams combined with 54 fouls in a very official game that included 66 free throws.
Illinois and Indiana fought in the ring: Illinois 9 out of 23 in layups and Indiana 8 out of 20 in layups.
What does it mean: What a courageous victory – and one that should be remembered later – in a game that should be difficult to play due to the referees’ quick whistles. With his star on the bench for the final eight minutes, Illinois found a way to brake defensively and overcome a team that was fighting for its life in the NCAA Tournament. Illinois needs to accumulate victories to have the chance to win a Big Ten championship, and it followed a remarkable victory with a less remarkable victory, but just as important as in Quad 1, against a desperate Indiana team. The Illini followed two defeats at home last month, with three straight wins and have now won seven of the last nine during the conference. The Illini are keeping pace with Michigan, which is on break, and which hosts Illinois in its first game after the preventive shutdown of its program on February 11. If Illinois continues this way, that solitary confrontation between the ten contenders could be the game of the season.
Game star: Kofi Cockburn did not lead the team in scoring, but it impacted the game markedly on the sideline, both offensively and defensively. Jackson-Davis needed 18 shots to score 19 points, and Cockburn’s ability to alter the shots on the rim was significant, as Indiana hit 8 out of 20 on the rim.
Do not neglect: Illini’s people in the four injured them. Jacob Grandison it started again, but it was pulled because it didn’t add much to the defense or the glass. Gives ‘Monte Williams once again he fought because he gave up too much to Thompson and Jackson-Davis.
What is the next: Illinois plays another major game on Saturday, while hosting Wisconsin, another contender for the Big Ten title, for a Saturday 13:30 (FOX) complaint. After starting the 10-2 season, Wisconsin (14-5, 8-4) has lost three of its last seven games, but is still well ranked in the metrics: No. 11 KenPom and No. 17 NET. During the conference game, Wisconsin has defensive efficiency number 3, but is shooting only 33.2 percent of the field. As always, the Badgers – the most experienced team in the Big Ten – play at a slower pace in the Big Ten, which forces teams to be disciplined because the Badgers have the lowest turnover rate among the Big Ten. Five Badgers have an average of 9.0 or more points: D’Mitrik Trice (14.1), Micah Potter (12.3) Aleem Ford (9.6), Nate Reuvers (9.5) and Brad Davison (9.1).
