The Illini play Rio Grande Valley on Friday night. That disparity was the biggest reason why the Wildcats were able to mount a challenge. Kansas State forced the Illini into 17 turnovers and turned them into 23 points, while Illinois only forced four turnovers that led to three points. “We haven’t been together in a long, long time, and you know, when it’s key pieces - you’re talking about one of the elite backcourts in the Big Ten that wasn’t a part of that in crunch time,” Underwood said. Andre Curbelo remained slowed by the concussion that he sustained earlier this year, finishing with six points and seven assists while playing only 20 minutes.
Illinois still wasn’t at full strength even before Frazier got hurt. When I made the first one, I felt like I was back. “I knew I was kind of off early in the season,” he said, “so I had to find a way to help the team. His sixth 3 pushed the lead to 62-49, the biggest of the game, and Plummer added one more late for good measure. When Pack drilled a 3-pointer for the Wildcats, Plummer was right there to answer with another for the Illini. Plummer hit a 3 at the other end to give Illinois the lead back, and it eventually grew to 50-42 with 10 minutes remaining. They briefly pulled ahead 42-41 before Massoud and Mike McGuirl had back-to-back lay-ins rattle out. But he ignored their boos to score a couple early baskets and dish out a couple of assists, helping the slow-starting Wildcats stay within 34-31 at halftime. There also was Kansas State guard Mark Smith, who began his career at Illinois before a pit stop at Missouri, making him doubly loathed by the orange-clad Illini faithful.
The Illini haven’t won a regular-season conference championship since he left. READ MORE: Chicago Weather: Warmup Underway Showers Possible Wednesday MorningĪs for Weber, he spent nine seasons coaching the Illini, leading them to two Big Ten titles and the national championship game in 2005. One of his assistants, ex-Illinois guard Chester Frazier, spent six seasons with Bruce Weber at Kansas State. Underwood later returned to Manhattan to spend six seasons as an assistant to Bob Huggins and Frank Martin. Underwood grew up in McPherson, Kansas, and played two seasons for the Wildcats under Jack Hartman. There were plenty of subplots to the first meeting of Illinois and Kansas State in 21 years. That’s just how it goes sometimes,” Massoud said. “They made a couple more plays than we did and we weren’t able to get back in the game. Ismael Massoud added 13 points after going 0-for-everything against Arkansas in the semifinals. Markquis Nowell scored 19 points and Nijel Pack had 15 for the Wildcats (2-2), who committed just four turnovers for the entire game. “I don’t have anything yet,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. The Illini guard was 0 for 5 from the field but had five assists when he was helped to the locker room by a pair of trainers. The victory Tuesday night came at a cost, though: Trent Frazier, who scored 23 points against Marquette but was held scoreless by the Bearcats, hurt his left knee midway through the second half. That’s why they call us the Fightin’ Illini. They’re going to find a way to learn from their mistakes and keep fighting. He said, ‘If life hits you, the weak are going to back down. “Coach told us a good message - he was right. Plummer finished 7 of 9 from beyond the arc, and the Illini (3-2) went 12 of 26 from 3 as a team, as they bounced back from a 71-51 blowout loss to Cincinnati in the semifinals to avoid their third consecutive loss.
14 Illini held off Kansas State 72-64 in the consolation game of the Hall of Fame Classic.
READ MORE: Chicago's Winter Overnight Parking Ban BeginsĬockburn bruised his way to 23 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back, and Plummer hit seven 3-pointers and added 21 points as the No. (AP) - Kofi Cockburn missed the first three games of the season for Illinois for violating NCAA rules, and Alfonso Plummer might as well have missed them given the way his normally reliable shot kept bouncing out.īoth of them made their presence known Tuesday night.