The Illinois Fighting Illini look to strengthen their NCAA Tournament resume when they visit the slumping Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday for a Big Ten matchup in Columbus, Ohio. On Thursday, Illinois (19-9, 10-7) overcame a 16-point deficit in the final 11 minutes on their home court to rally past No. 21 Northwestern, 66-62, for their second straight win. The Illini trailed by as many as 18 before outscoring the Wildcats 47-25 in the second half in front of a raucous home crowd. The Illini held Northwestern to just one 3-pointer in the final 20 minutes, while knocking down seven threes after halftime. Dealing with illness before the game, Terrence Shannon Jr. came off the bench and scored 24 of his team-high 26 points in the second half rally. He was 7-for-8 from the field and converted all four 3-point attempts. “That was UCLA-Terrence,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said, referring…
Continue Reading: Illinois can't afford letdown at lowly Ohio State
