Illinois when on a late run to blow open a close game against Michigan on Friday night at State Farm Center. Illinois defeated the Wolverines 68-53 behind 21 points and 10 rebounds from Kofi Cockburn, and a big second half from Trent Frazer.
Frazier finished with 18 point and 7 assists, while Alfonso Plummer also hit double figures with 15 points. Illinois improves to 13-3 on the season, 6-0 in the Big Ten.
The Illini will stay at home to host No. 7 Purdue, on Monday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.
Orange and Blue News breaks down some of the major details of the Illini win on Friday night in Champaign.
Ugly first half
Neither team had any positive momentum in the first half offensively. Illinois closed the half shooting 40 percent from the field while Michigan made just 9-of-32 (28.1%) from the field in the first half.
A tightly officiated first half where a combined 19 personal fouls were called likely contributed to the sluggish offensive performance from each team. But Illinois also struggled to get the ball to Kofi Cockburn in the paint for consistent post touches despite Michigan being down two of their top post players with Hunter Dickinson and Brandon Johns both missing the game because of strength and conditioning concerns stemming, likely connected to Michigan's recent COVID stoppage.
Still, the Illini's shooting struggles from the Nebraska and Maryland games seemed to carry themselves over to the Michigan game despite there being a lot of expectations and energy inside the State Farm Center at tip-off.
Shots continue to not fall
After going on a torrid shooting streak in the month of December, Illinois has returned to struggle shooting the ball in their last four games. Illinois had made just 19+whatever they made against Michigan in the last four games. The Illini showed that they can be one of the best shooting teams in the country in December, but they have struggled of late. They will have to get shots to fall again on Monday against Purdue if they are going to upset the higher-ranked Boilermakers.
The Illini ended the night shooting it just 6-of-20 from three-point land, but they have now been able to win three games in a row -- all by at least 10 points -- despite not having the best shooting night.
Trent Frazier continues to come up huge
When Illinois hs needed a big play in the 2022 calendar year, Trent Frazier has been the one to deliver. In the three games prior to the Michigan contest, the fifth-year senior was averaging 16.7 points and 3.0 assists a game. While Fraizer didn't have the offensive output wasn't there for most of the game, he did go on a personal 7-0 run that put the Illini up 59-48. Frazier finished the night with 18 points and seven assists. But he's bringing it defensively as much as he is on the offensive end. He held fellow fifth-year senior Eli Brooks to just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting on the night.
Fraizer could potentially carry himself to an All-Big Ten selection if he continues to play the way has in 2022, and it's scary to think about where this Illini team would be at if it wasn't for what Frazier has provided Illinois with this season.
King Kofi dominates the paint
After really struggling against Nebraska, junior Kofi Cockburn returned against Michigan to dominate the paint against a Michigan frontcourt that was without their top two players, including Hunter Dickinson.
Cockburn was incredibly efficient on Friday night. He made 8-of-13 shots from the field to end the night with 21 points. Cockburn was also able to grab 10 rebounds but likely could have had more had the Illini done a better job of crashing the glass.
Cockburn wasn't asked to do much defensively without Dickinson playing for Michigan, but he did a good job protecting the rim by holding Michigan freshman Moussa Diabate to just nine points and Jaron Faulds scoreless on two shot attempts.
QUCK HITTERS
• Illinois has now won six straight games and 11 of its last 12.
• Illinois is 6-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2005, when the Illini won its first 15 league games.
• Illinois has won four straight against Michigan.
• Reigning Big Ten Co-Player of the Week and Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 honoree Kofi Cockburn had game highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds.
• It was Cockburn’s seventh 20-point, 10-rebound game of the season (2nd in NCAA).
• It also was Cockburn’s ninth straight double-double, and 11th of the season (3rd in NCAA).
• Trent Frazier is now averaging 21.3 points over the last three games.
