>>Indiana Gets By Illinois
Juwan Morgan was one of three Indiana players to score 14 points Wednesday night and he posted his eighth double-double this season to lead the Hoosiers past Illinois 78-68.
The Hoosiers (15-12, 8-7 Big Ten) have won three straight since snapping a four-game losing streak. Morgan also had 10 rebounds, a career-high five blocks, four steals and three assists.
Leron Black finished with 20 points before fouling out and Kipper Nichols added 16 to lead the Fighting Illini. Illinois (12-15, 2-12) has lost four in a row and 10 of 12.
And, as has been the case recently, the Hoosiers relied on a stout defense and a strong closing punch to seal this one.
Indiana first took control with a 14-0 run midway through the first half and still led 35-25 at halftime.
Illinois, which was 1 of 12 on 3-pointers in the first half, adjusted in the second half by repeatedly feeding the ball inside. For a while, it worked perfectly.
The Illini methodically trimmed the deficit, getting within 51-49 with 12:26 left. They could have cut the deficit to one if Kipper Nichols could have completed a three-point play.
Instead, he missed and the Hoosiers countered with an 8-2 spurt to rebuild a 59-51 lead and Robert Johnson's 3 with 7:24 to go extended the margin to nine.
Illinois never got closer than six again.
>>Bradley Downs Illinois State
Donte Thomas scored 14 points with 10 rebounds, Darrell Brown added 13 points and Bradley never trailed in beating Illinois State 70-58 in Wednesday night's I-74 rivarly game, ending an eight-game skid in the series.
Jayden Hodgson scored 10 points for the Braves (18-10, 8-7 Missouri Valley Conference), who are now tied with the Redbirds for fourth place.
Bradley pulled ahead on an 11-4 run and Brown's free throws capped a 9-3 run for a 49-32 Bradley lead. The Redbirds closed to 53-47 after 9-1 run with 7:10 left, but Bradley responded with an 8-2 run with Brown hitting four of seven Braves free throws in the final 5:27 to seal it.
The Braves outrebounded the Redbirds 45-34 and held them to 32 percent shooting from the floor.
Milik Yarbrough scored 25 points and Keyshawn Evans added 10 for Illinois State (14-13, 8-7).
