Illini slip ‘trap’ leading up to Missouri game
CHAMPAIGN – So much for a breather.
Illinois had Cornell, a .500 Ivy League team, as a potential “break” between two teams that are currently ranked. After losing to UNLV Saturday at the United Center and preparing to face No. 9 Missouri Thursday, the Big Red looked like they could help the Illini bounce back.
Instead, Illinois had to fight to the wire for a 64-60 victory after falling behind by 10 points.
Center Meyers Leonard led the Illini with 19 points and 16 rebounds but was hampered down the stretch after leaving the game briefly while complaining about back pain in the second half. After a sleepy first half, guards D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul picked it up down the stretch to help fill the scoring void.
Richardson had connected on 5 of 8 3-pointers against UNLV but it didn’t matter because Illinois had fallen in such a deep hole. But it made all the difference against Cornell.
He made 5 of 10 3-pointers against the Big Red, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the second half. Paul scored 13 of his 15 in the second half.
The Assembly Hall crowd booed midway through the first half when the Illini came out shooting just 1-for-13.
But a three-point play by Paul and a 3-pointer by Richardson tied the game 42-42 and the Illini found its opening.
Josh Figini led the Big Red with 14 points.
