CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Ayo Dosunmu notched a triple double and Kofi Cockburn added a double double in a dominant 75-60 win over No. 19 Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon at State Farm Center. Dosunmu contributed 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Cockburn added 23 points and 14 boards. Dosunmu's triple double is just the third in program history.
The Illini jumped out to a quick 13-4 lead in the first five minutes, starting the game 6-for-8 from the field. Kofi Cockburn secured his NCAA-leading 13th double-double in just the first half, racking up 12 points and 10 rebounds through an impressive first 20 minutes.
The stifling Illinois defense held Wisconsin to just 23 points in the first half as the Badgers struggled to make shots, shooting just 30% from the field and 0-for-9 from three-point range. The Illini haven't held an opponent scoreless from the three-point line in a half since the first game of the season on November 25 against North Carolina A&T.
Wisconsin came out shooting the ball much more effectively in the second half, but the Illini were able to hold off the Badgers' comeback effort and come away with a 15-point win. Illinois dominated on the glass, out-rebounding the Badgers 46-19 and limiting the Badgers to just two offensive rebounds.
Trent Frazier put up eight points for the Illini, while Giorgi Bezhanishvili added seven.
Gallery: (2-6-2021) Illinois vs. Wisconsin - 02/06/2021
UP NEXT
The Illini return to State Farm Center, hosting Northwestern on Tuesday, February 16. The game will air on BTN, and the start time is to be announced.
NOTES
• Illinois is 112-89 all-time against Wisconsin.
• Illinois snapped a seven-game losing streak against Wisconsin in Champaign, winning for the first time at home against the Badgers since 2011.
• Illinois has seven Quad 1 wins.
• Ayo Dosunmu finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists to become the third Illini in history to record a triple-double.
» Mark Smith, Feb. 1, 1979 vs. Minnesota - 18 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists
» Sergio McClain, Jan. 13, 2001 vs. Michigan - 10 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists
• Dosunmu is the first Illini in history to record a triple-double against a ranked team.
• Dosunmu is the third player to record a 20+ point triple-double against a ranked team in the last 10 years, joining Dennis Smith Jr. (NCST) vs. #21 VT, 1/4/2017 and Denzel Valentine (MSU) vs. #4 KU, 11/17/2015.
• Dosunmu is the first player to record a 20+ point triple-double in a Big Ten game since Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell at Rutgers 2/8/15 (23 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists).
• Dosunmu is the first player to record a 20+ point triple-double in a Big Ten game against a ranked team since 1999. Evan Eschmeyer (Northwestern) was the last to do it at #23 Indiana 1/13/1999 (27 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists).
• Dosunmu is the only player in the nation averaging at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. He averages 21.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.
• Dosunmu is on pace to become just the third Big Ten player since 1993 to average 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, joining two Conference Players of the Year in Indiana's Brian Evans (1995-96) and Ohio State's Evan Turner (2009-10).
• Kofi Cockburn is tied for the NCAA lead in double-doubles with 13 (Terry Taylor, Austin Peay). He has posted double-doubles in 10 of 12 Big Ten games, averaging 18.8 points and 11.3 rebounds during league play.
• In the first half, Illinois held Wisconsin to a season-low-tying 23 points in a half (Jan. 12 at Michigan). The Badgers were held without a three point field goal made in the first half for the first time this season (0-for-9).
