No. 10 Illinois turns away Indiana with clutch free throws

Field Level Media|published: Sat 27th January, 17:47 2024

Jan 27, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ty Rodgers (20) drives the ball between Indiana Hoosiers forward Payton Sparks (24) and guard Anthony Leal (3) during the first half at State Farm Center. credits: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Terrence Shannon Jr. made six consecutive free throws in the final 65 seconds to break the game's final tie and lift No. 10 Illinois to a 70-62 Big Ten victory over Indiana Saturday afternoon in Champaign, Ill.

Marcus Domask paced Illinois (15-5, 6-3) with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Shannon added 12 points and Coleman Hawkins and Luke Goode contributed 11 points apiece.

Malik Reneau scored 21 points before fouling out with 3:02 to go for Indiana (12-8, 4-5), which failed to hit a 3-pointer for the first time since Feb. 25, 2010. Xavier Johnson added 14 points while McDonald's All-American Mackenzie Mgbako posted his collegiate first double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) as the Hoosiers played without 7-footer Kel'el Ware for the second straight game due to an ankle injury.

Johnson made three layups to stake Indiana to a 13-6 lead — while Illinois shot 3 of 13 from the floor and committed three turnovers in the first eight minutes.

Illinois didn't take its first lead until Ty Rodgers darted past Reneau on the baseline for a three-point play that made it 29-28 with 2:51 left in the first half. The Illini extended that lead to 38-30 on 3-pointers by Goode and Justin Harmon, but Indiana cut the margin to 38-34 at the half when Johnson put back his own miss at the buzzer.

Johnson then tossed the ball at Hawkins and hit him in the neck, which led to a Johnson technical foul when the officials reviewed the play during halftime. Domask sank two free throws before the second half began to go up 40-34, but that didn't deter the Hoosiers.

Indiana reeled off 13 points in a row — triggered by a pair of Mgbako free throws and capped by a Reneau postup — to give the Hoosiers a 49-42 lead with 12:43 left that forced an Illinois timeout.

Illinois' scoreless streak ended when freshman Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn drilled a 3-pointer to trigger a 9-0 run for the hosts. Hawkins flew in for a putback that gave the Illini a 51-49 lead with 8:57 left.

Reneau halted Indiana's scoreless streak with a free throw on its next possession, but the Hoosiers didn't catch up again until Mgbako cashed a 17-footer to make it 62-62 with 1:30 to go.

—Field Level Media

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