>>Illinois Drops Rutgers

 

Kipper Nichols scored 19 points and Trent Frazier had 17 points to lift Illinois to a 91-60 victory over Rutgers on Tuesday night.

 

In just the second start of his career, Nichols also recorded a team-high six rebounds and team-high three steals.

 

Frazier had the hot hand early, ripping off a personal 9-0 run in the first half to put Illinois (12-11, 2-8 Big Ten Conference) in the driver's seat. He scored 15 points in the opening period on five 3-pointers. He has scored in double figures for six consecutive games, averaging 17.7 points during that stretch.

 

Illinois pressured the ball all night, scoring 37 points off 25 turnovers by Rutgers. The Illini also outscored the Scarlet Knights 11-5 in fast break points.

 

Rutgers (12-12, 2-9) entered the contest averaging a Big Ten-worst 66.7 points per game and it showed. The Scarlet Knights went roughly 10 minutes in the first half without a made field goal and shot just 42.2 percent from the field.

 

Corey Sanders is Rutgers' leading scorer, but he struggled for the second consecutive game. He was held scoreless last week against Penn State and followed it up with a 10-point performance against Illinois. Over his last two games he has made just three shots on 19 attempts.

 

Geo Baker led the Scarlet Knights with 19 points, while the Illini had five players score in double digits.

 

Rutgers has now lost 11 straight conference road games and has won only one since joining the Big Ten in 2014.

 

The 31-point victory earned Illinois its first Big Ten winning streak since March of last season.

 

Illinois will hit the road and face No. 17 Ohio State on Sunday. The Buckeyes are led by Keita Bates-Diop, who is averaging a Big Ten best 19.9 points per game.

 

>>Illinois State Gets By Missouri State

 

Milik Yarbrough and Keyshawn Evans scored 15 points apiece as Illinois State had five in double-figure scoring to cruise to a 76-60 victory over Missouri State on Tuesday night.

The Redbirds (12-11, 6-5 Missouri Valley Conference) have won two straight and swept Missouri State (15-9, 5-6).

 

Yarbrough was just 4 of 13 from the field, but made 6 of 8 free throws and had a game-high six assists. Evans was 5-of-15 shooting and made three 3-pointers. Taylor Bruninga added 13 points for the Redbirds. Madison Williams had 12 points and Phil Fayne chipped in 11.

 

Alize Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead Missouri State, which shot 21 of 65 from the field and missed 19 3-pointers. Mustafa Lawrence and J.T. Miller also scored 12 points each.

 

Illinois State never trailed and built a 30-21 halftime advantage. Evans, Bruninga and Williams each made a 3-pointer during an 11-0 surge, and the Redbirds had a 46-28 lead early in the second.