CHAMPAIGN — Without its coach or its best player, Illinois staged a spirited rally late Thursday. Brad Underwood was ejected and Kofi Cockburn fouled out, but a 10-0 run helped get Illinois within one with 14 seconds left. Trent Frazier threw the ball away with a chance to tie or take the lead, and No. 15 Illinois fell 86-83 to No. 22 Ohio State at the State Farm Center. “Had a lay-in to tie it,” Underwood said. “These guys fought back. That’s a prideful bunch.” That late run with a fullcourt press and a new five-out set with Cockburn on the bench miraculously turned a game where the Illini were being run off their home court into a nail-bitter. It wasn’t enough with Malaki Branham’s 31 points leading the Buckeyes to late escape. “You can write that we lost, but the biggest story is how much pride this group has…
Continue Reading: Takeaways from Illinois' spirited rally that fell short against Ohio State
