CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Matthew Mayer scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help No. 18 Illinois overcome Alabama A&M’s comeback push for a 68-47 win Saturday.
Mayer went 7 of 8 and scored 15 points in the second half to help Illinois (8-3) close out the result.
Garrett Hicks scored 13 points and Messiah Thompson added 12 for the Bulldogs (3-7).
Olisa Blaise Akonobi’s dunk highlighted a 16-0 run out of the half as the Bulldogs shaved the deficit to three and held the Illini to a 1 of 18 shooting stretch over about 13 minutes.
Thompson scored seven straight for the Bulldogs before Dailin Smith added a pair of free throws to cut it to a 38-37 Illinois lead with 10:54 to go.
Coleman Hawkins’ free throws broke an eight-minute Illinois scoring drought and Mayer added a pair of layups during a 10-2 run that pushed the lead back to nine points at the under-8 timeout.
Hawkins hit Illinois’ first 3 since the 9:15 mark of the first half to stretch the lead back to double digits with 6:05 left and Illinois hit 9 of its last 12 shots to win comfortably.
The Bulldogs struggled to establish any scoring rhythm in the first half, missing 10 consecutive attempts from long distance after Hicks made one for the game’s first bucket. The Illini turned them over nine times and held them to 6 of 30 shooting for the half.
Illinois took a 36-19 cushion into the break after scoring 10 of its last 12 points at the free throw line.
BIG PICTURE
Alabama A&M: The Bulldogs can be explosive from long distance, but they were unable to replicate the magic from a 17-for-21 3-point outing against Rust College on Thursday against a Big Ten opponent. First-year coach Otis Hughley Jr. has some extended practice time with his group in between road tests at Vanderbilt and Ohio State before SWAC play begins in January.
Illinois: A long layoff gave the Illini a chance to reset after a disappointing home loss to Penn State a week ago. Even as the Bulldogs mounted a steady comeback, Illinois looked uninspired. Scoring droughts and recent struggles in halfcourt sets are a concern.
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M: Visits struggling Vanderbilt on Thursday.
Illinois: Heads to St. Louis on Thursday to play Missouri for Braggin’ Rights.
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