Illinois Fighting Illini at Indiana Hoosiers
· BIG TEN MEN'S TOURNAMENT - 1st ROUND
64 - 54
Illinois bounces Indiana from Big Ten tournament
The Illini (19-13) used runs of 9-0 in the first half and 11-0 in the second half to improve to 6-2 all-time against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament.
The victory sends Illinois into a second-round matchup on Friday with Big Ten regular-season champion No. 8 Michigan.
Abrams stymied a late rally by the Hoosiers (17-15) with a 3-pointer and two free throws that turned a late 53-52 Illinois lead into a 58-52 advantage.
Rayvonte Rice added 13 points and Kendrick Nunn scored 10 for the Illini.
Illinois opened the game with a 9-0 run, taking advantage of Indiana's cold shooting and carelessness with the ball. The Hoosiers missed their first nine shots and had nine turnovers in the first half.
But Indiana answered with a 14-2 run, capped by a Ferrell 3-pointer, to take its first lead.
It didn't last long, with Noah Vonleh being called for goaltending on a basket by Rice which put the Illini back in front 15-14.
Illinois led 30-28 at halftime. Indiana was 6-of-10 on 3-pointers in the first half but just 2-of-13 inside the arc.
Troy Williams tied the game at 30 early in the second half on a dunk, then the Hoosiers took a 32-30 lead on two free throws by Stanford Robinson. Robinson, who was 0-for-2 from the line in the first half, was 4-of-4 in the second half.
The Hoosiers built a 38-33 lead to open the second half, but the Illini rallied to tie the game. Abrams missed two free throws that would have given Illinois the lead. But a second goaltending call on Vonleh, again on a Rice shot, put Illinois in front 40-38.
The Illini would stretch the lead to 44-38, prompting an Indiana timeout. Vonleh got free inside for a dunk, but the Hoosiers left Jon Ekey open for a 3-pointer that put the Illini in front 47-40.
Ferrell hit two free throws, Sheehey hit a jumper and Ferrell scored on a drive that pulled Indiana within 47-46.
Abrams answered with a 3 to make it 50-46 Illinois. Williams scored on a putback to make it 50-48, but Indiana could get no closer than 53-52.
Abrams then scored the next five points to secure the victory.
Illinois improved to 5-1 in first-round games in the Big Ten Tournament and won as the No. 9 seed for the first time. The Hoosiers fell to 10-17 in the conference tournament and fell to 1-2 as the No. 8 seed.
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Recent Plays
| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 64 - 54 |
| 2nd 0:07 | Tracy Abrams Defensive Rebound. | 64 - 54 |
| 2nd 0:07 | Yogi Ferrell missed Three Point Jumper. | 64 - 54 |
| 2nd 0:12 | Tracy Abrams made Free Throw. | 64 - 54 |
| 2nd 0:12 | Tracy Abrams made Free Throw. | 63 - 54 |
Statistics
 ILL |
 IU |
|
|---|---|---|
| 20-50 | FG | 18-51 |
| 40 | Field Goal % | 35 |
| 6-15 | 3PT | 6-20 |
| 40 | Three Point % | 30 |
| 18-22 | FT | 12-15 |
| 82 | Free Throw % | 80 |
| 32 | Rebounds | 35 |
| 9 | Offensive Rebounds | 12 |
| 23 | Defensive Rebounds | 23 |
| 10 | Assists | 15 |
| 8 | Steals | 3 |
| 6 | Blocks | 4 |
| 10 | Turnovers | 16 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 10 | Total Turnovers | 16 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Points Off Turnovers | 0 |
| 0 | Fast Break Points | 0 |
| 0 | Points in Paint | 0 |
| 16 | Fouls | 18 |
Game Information
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Capacity:
2025-26 Big Ten Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 19-1 | - | 37-3 |
| Nebraska | 15-5 | 4 | 28-7 |
| Michigan State | 15-5 | 4 | 27-8 |
| Illinois | 15-5 | 4 | 28-9 |
| Wisconsin | 14-6 | 5 | 24-11 |
| Purdue | 13-7 | 6 | 30-9 |
| UCLA | 13-7 | 6 | 24-12 |
| Ohio State | 12-8 | 7 | 21-13 |
| Iowa | 10-10 | 9 | 24-13 |
| Indiana | 9-11 | 10 | 18-14 |
| Minnesota | 8-12 | 11 | 15-18 |
| USC | 7-13 | 12 | 18-14 |
| Washington | 7-13 | 12 | 16-17 |
| Rutgers | 6-14 | 13 | 14-20 |
| Northwestern | 5-15 | 14 | 15-19 |
| Oregon | 5-15 | 14 | 12-20 |
| Maryland | 4-16 | 15 | 12-21 |
| Penn State | 3-17 | 16 | 12-20 |