BTN.com staff, February 17, 2013
D.J. Richardson scored 18 points to lead Illinois to a 62-41 victory over Northwestern on Sunday night. Tracy Abrams added 13 points off the bench for the Illini (19-8, 6-7 Big Ten), who have won four straight and got revenge for a 68-54 loss to Northwestern last month.
Reggie Hearn led Northwestern with 11 points. The Wildcats (13-13, 4-9) have lost three straight and five of their last six.
Illinois scored the first 16 points of the second half after ending the first half on a 10-0 run.
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D.J. Richardson beats first-half buzzer:
FINAL: Illinois held Northwestern to 12-of-48 shooting, as defense led the Fighting Illini to a 62-41 victory on Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. Illinois (19-8) held Northwestern (13-13) to 25 percent shooting from the field and hauled in 29 defensive boards, while only allowing 10 offensive rebounds. D.J. Richardson gave the Fighting Illini a boost, thanks to 18 points, eight rebounds, and 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Tracy Abrams was 5-of-8 from the floor and chipped in 13 points. Leading 19-15 late in the first, the Fighting Illini used a 28-2 spurt to open their cushion to 30 points midway through the second half. The Wildcats got double-digit efforts from Reggie Hearn (11 points).
Egwu fouls out, having accounted for something like one-third of Northwestern's offense.
— Big Ten Geek (@bigtengeek) February 18, 2013
Illinois never trailed tonight, never led in Champaign.
— Brad Sturdy (@Sturdy32) February 18, 2013
NU's student section, the "Wildside," is sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings. Its sauce is awfully mild right now. #illini
— Dave Wischnowsky (@wischlist) February 18, 2013
#Northwestern has 20 points with 11:28 left. Lowest total in any game since 1996: 26 vs. Evansville on 11-26-99.
— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) February 18, 2013
20 pts after 31 minutes. Time to crack open the #Northwestern record book.
— Teddy Greenstein (@TeddyGreenstein) February 18, 2013
Northwestern's scoring drought is nearly as long as its bowl victory drought was.
— The Champaign Room (@Champaign_Room) February 18, 2013
#Northwestern 15, #Illini's Abrams 13. Wildcats might struggle to reach 30-point mark.
— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) February 18, 2013
John Groce calls a timeout. He doesn't like to save them, lol. Huge 20-0 run, 39-15. A team improving in February? Crazy
— Brad Sturdy (@Sturdy32) February 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/Adam_Jacobi/status/303320784686956544
Abrams started the second half, btw. #Illini
— Shannon Ryan (@SRyanAthletic) February 18, 2013
HALFTIME: There were no free points for Northwestern, as Illinois held the Wildcats to 22 percent shooting in the first half en route to taking a 29-15 halftime lead. The Fighting Illini, who ended the half on a 10-0, led by as many as 14 points and never trailed. Reserve Tracy Abrams scored 11 points and dished out three assists to lead Illinois, which also received seven points from D.J. Richardson. Alex Marcotullio and Reggie Hearn have shouldered the offensive burden for the Wildcats, scoring 14 of the team's 15 total points. Marcotullio has scored eight and Hearn has added six.
Only three NU players scored in first half, and one of them was Olah with one point.
— Shannon Ryan (@SRyanAthletic) February 18, 2013
At halftime Northwestern is on pace for 30 points. That would be okay in football.
— Aaron Morse (@MorseCode206) February 18, 2013
Hard to miss as many layups as Illinois has in first half.
— stu durando (@studurando) February 18, 2013
If I remember correctly, Illini were 6-for-13 shooting at one point. Now 8-for-24. You do the math. Not good.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) February 18, 2013
OK, I know guys are hurt, but that was just awful by Northwestern. The safety valve inbounds pass should not be such a challenge.
— Big Ten Geek (@bigtengeek) February 18, 2013
#Illini look good when they get ball inside or run; not as good when they play to Northwestern's half-court pace. #dechr
— Mark Tupper (@MarkTupper) February 18, 2013
Alex Olah not starting for #Northwestern. Biggest Cat in lineup is 6-8 Mike Turner.
— Teddy Greenstein (@TeddyGreenstein) February 18, 2013
In the last 3 games, Abrams has 16 assists, 3 turnovers. Those are winning numbers. #dechr
— Mark Tupper (@MarkTupper) February 18, 2013
There is A LOT of #Illini orange inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. #Northwestern
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) February 18, 2013
Groce & Carmody exchange pleasantries. One has hair & no tie. Other has tie & no hair. I guess you can't you cant have it all. #illini #NU
— Herb Gould (@HerbGould) February 18, 2013
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