Michigan
7-7,1-3Big Ten
Illinois
13-3,6-0Big Ten
Undermanned Wolverines Fall at No. 25 Illinois
1/14/2022 11:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Michigan dropped a 68-53 decision at Big Ten leader No. 25 Illinois at the Start Farm Center.
» DeVante' Jones led U-M with a season-high-tying 17 points, with six rebounds and three steals. » U-M was without leading scorer Hunter Dickinson and Brandon Johns, Jr., who both missed the game due to medical reasons.
» The Wolverines played their first game since Jan. 4 (at Rutgers), missing 10 days and two games (postponed) due to COVID-19 protocols within the program.
Site: Champaign, Ill. (State Farm Center)
Score: #25 Illinois 68, Michigan 53
Records: U-M (7-7, 1-3 B1G), ILL (13-3, 6-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Jan. 18 -- vs. Maryland (Crisler Center), 7 p.m. (TV: ESPN2)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Despite a gritty effort, playing for the first time in 10-days and missing two key players, the University of Michigan men's basketball team fell 68-53 to No. 25 Illinois on Friday (Jan. 14) at State Farm Center.
U-M played without leading scorer Hunter Dickinson and Brandon Johns Jr. due to medical reasons, but the Wolverines gave the Big Ten-leading Illinois all it could handle before the experience of the Fighting Illini was too much for the shorthanded Wolverines.
After being held scoreless at Rutgers, graduate student DeVante' Jones bounced back with his team-high and season-high-tying 17 points, with six rebounds and three steals. Filling in for Dickinson down low, freshman Moussa Diabate had nine points and six rebounds despite battling foul trouble. Graduate Eli Brooks had seven points, while freshman Kobe Bufkin chipped in six off the bench.
Without Dickinson and Johns, Michigan kept Illinois at bay during the game's first five minutes as the two squads slogged their way to the first media timeout knotted at 6. As the Illini concentrated on throwing it down low to big man Kofi Cockburn, who scored six of the Illini's first 10 points, Brooks countered with back-to-back jumpers to keep the game tied at the midway point of the half.
Out of a timeout, U-M had a near three-minute scoring drought while the Illini built a nine-point lead, 22-13. Trailing by nine, Jones had personal 6-0 run to draw U-M within five. After another inside bucket from Cockburn, Jones buried U-M's only three-pointer of the game as the Wolverines trailed by just two with 50 seconds remaining.
However, another layup from Cockburn helped the Illini go into the half with a 26-22 lead. Despite Jones' 11 first-half points, Michigan held Illinois to its lowest first-half point total of the season at 26, with 12 coming from Cockburn.
After Illinois and Michigan made just one three-pointer in the first half, the Illini hit two long-range buckets to open the second half to extend its lead to seven, 35-28, at the first media timeout. With Cockburn scoring six more points, he continued his strong play inside, helping the Illini build a 10-point advantage.
As the Wolverines did not allow Illinois to pull away, going on an 8-0 run to cut it to just two, 43-41, with under nine minutes to go. After a second Illinois flopping call led to a technical free throw for Brooks, Bufkin capitalized on the U-M possession with a banked-in jumper, as the Wolverines were down just a point, 45-44.
The senior-laden Illini responded, using their experience and depth to pull away, doubling up Michigan with a 14-7 run to go up 15, 66-51, with less than a minute to go. In the end, Illinois won its sixth straight game to stay atop the Big Ten standings.
The Maize and Blue return to Crisler Center on Tuesday (Jan. 18) when it hosts Maryland at 7 p.m, with the game to be broadcast live on ESPN2. For all fans attending Tuesday game, please review Michigan's vaccination policy for indoor events.
