CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Ayo Dosunmu scored 18 points and Kofi Cockburn added 11 and grabbed 17 rebounds and Illinois held off Rutgers 54-51 at home on Saturday.
The win propels Illinois into second place in the Big Ten Conference and ties its season win total from a year ago, when the Illini went 12-21 and 7-13 in the conference.
Dosunmu stepped up big in the final two minutes for Illinois (12-5, 4-2). He scored four points (all at the free-throw line) to seal a defensive battle that saw Rutgers (12-4, 3-2) grab the lead early in the game.
“Coach has that trust in me down the stretch,” Dosunmu said after the game. “I like to seize the moment.”
Jacob Young led Rutgers with 16 points. Ron Harper Jr. added nine for the Scarlet Knights.
Illinois went on two 6-0 runs in the second half to close the gap against a fierce Rutgers defense. Both teams played exceedingly well defensively.
Rutgers was 20 of 59 (34%) from the field to Illinois’ 18 of 63 (29%).
Cockburn, a 7-foot freshman, hit his seventh double-double of the season for the Illini,
