Illinois snaps 15-game losing streak to Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — Sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu scored 18 points — including a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left — to rally Illinois to a 71-70 Big Ten Conference victory over Wisconsin on Wednesday.

The win snapped a 15-game losing streak for the Illini (11-5 3-2 Big Ten), who hadn’t won a game against the Badgers since 2011.

Freshman 7-footer Kofi Cockburn scored 15 points and reserve guard Alan Griffin added 12, including 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.

Kobe King scored a game-high 21 points for Wisconsin (9-6, 2-2), which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

King drained a 3 with 22 seconds left to pull Wisconsin to 71-70, but when the Badgers got the ball back after a missed free throw by Illinois forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili, D’Mitrik Trice missed a go-ahead bucket with three seconds left.

Micah Potter scored 13 points with nine rebounds and two blocks for Wisconsin. Potter, an Ohio State transfer playing in his fourth game since his eligibility began in late December, made all eight of his foul shots.

The teams traded the lead 10 times in the first half, until Potter and King collaborated during a 9-1 Wisconsin run — capped by a King 3-pointer — that extended the Badgers’ lead to 28-21 with 3:57 before halftime.

King, who was 8-of-11 shooting, delivered eight of the Badgers’ first nine points to open the second half.

Illinois pulled within 54-52 with 9:50 left on a dunk by Cockburn, who picked up his fourth foul 17 seconds later.

The Badgers maintained a slim lead late in the second half, but didn’t score a basket for nearly two minutes. The Illini tied the game at 63 on back-to-back 3s by Griffin with 3:22 left.

BIG PICTURE

Illinois: Not only do the Illini starters have speed, their inside game is particularly strong with Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. The Illini finished with 30 points in the paint against Wisconsin.

Wisconsin: The Badgers entered Wednesday’s game with shooting 77.7% from the free-throw line, which leads the Big Ten. Junior guard Brad Davison has only missed five free-throw attempts (27 of 32).

UP NEXT

Illinois plays Rutgers at home Saturday. The Illini have won three consecutive in the series, including a six-point overtime victory in Champaign last season.

Wisconsin heads on the road to face No. 20 Penn State on Saturday.