Domask and Shannon help No. 13 Illinois win 91-83 to continue Wisconsin's slide
Sat, Mar 2, 2024
NCAAB News (AP)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Marcus Domask scored 31 points, Terrence Shannon Jr. added 23 and No. 13 Illinois continued its recent mastery of Wisconsin by defeating the slumping Badgers 91-83 on Saturday.
Illinois has won its last six matchups with Wisconsin, which represents the Illini's longest winning streak in the series since beating the Badgers 16 straight times from 1981-89. Wisconsin beat Illinois 15 consecutive times before this stretch.
The Illini also became the first visiting team to win four straight at the Kohl Center, which has served as the Badgers' home arena since 1998.
Illinois (22-7, 13-5 Big Ten) is 1 1/2 games behind No. 2 Purdue in the Big Ten standings, with the Boilermakers hosting Michigan State on Saturday night. Wisconsin (18-11, 10-8) has lost seven of its last nine.
After Wisconsin's John Blackwell sank a 3-pointer to tie the game at 68-all with 5:44 remaining, Domask scored six points during a 13-3 run that enabled Illinois to seize control. Domask started the spurt with a basket that put the Illini ahead for good with 5:25 left.
Wisconsin got 20 points from Tyler Wahl, 16 from Max Klesmit, 15 from Chucky Hepburn and 13 from AJ Storr.
Domask's 31 points were just two off his career high.
Wisconsin came out inspired after a pregame ceremony featuring former Badgers assistant coach Howard Moore's first public appearance at Kohl Center since a May 2019 car wreck that killed Moore's wife and daughter and left him seriously injured.
The Badgers scored 12 straight points to take a 14-5 lead less than 5 1/2 minutes into the game. Illinois had its own 12-0 spurt later in the first half to go ahead 31-25 and held a 39-37 lead at the break.
Illinois scored the first five points of the second half to extend the lead to seven, but Wisconsin clawed back and pulled ahead 49-47 on Wahl's putback with 13:12 remaining.
The game went back and forth from there, with nobody leading by more than three points until Illinois took command down the stretch.
BIG PICTURE
Illinois: The Illini have scored at least 80 points in nine straight games, their longest such streak since the 1988-89 team collected 80-plus points in 12 consecutive games on its way to the Final Four. They shot 51.8% and won their third straight with a impressive performance amid a hostile environment.
Wisconsin: As poorly as they've played lately, the Badgers still are probably assured of an NCAA Tournament berth. Wisconsin entered Saturday as a No. 5 or No. 6 seed in most bracket projections. But their postseason run won't last long unless they step up their defense.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
This is a quality road win that should move Illinois a step or two closer to the top 10.
UP NEXT
Illinois: Hosts No. 2 Purdue on Tuesday.
Wisconsin: Hosts Rutgers on Thursday.
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