CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Marcus Domask and Justin Harmon each made two free throws and Terrance Shannon Jr. had a steal in the final 25 seconds of overtime to help No. 14 Illinois beat Nebraska 87-84 on Sunday.
The Illini led 72-62 with 3:29 left in regulation, but Nebraska went in front on Rienk Mast’s jumper with 9 seconds left. Domask then split a pair of free throws with 3 seconds remaining, tying it at 73.
Coleman Hawkins led Illinois (17-5, 8-3 Big Ten) with 20 points. Domask had 19, and Ty Rodgers finished with eight points and 14 rebounds.
![Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg reacts after his son Sam committed a foul late during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. Illinois won 87-84. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)](https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/20240204210220-65c046a27401404fa5a8e85ajpeg.jpg?w=1000)
Shannon scored 18 points in his fifth game back after sitting out six games because of a university-imposed suspension because of a rape charge in Kansas.
Keisei Tominaga scored 31 points for the Cornhuskers (16-7, 6-6), who were coming off an overtime win over No. 6 Wisconsin in a game in which they trailed by 19 points in the first half. Mast scored 19 points against the Illini.
Nebraska led Illinois 36-34 at halftime, but the Illini made their first six shots in the second half to take a 47-40 lead.
The victory vaulted Illinois into a tie for second place in the Big Ten with Wisconsin. The Badgers lost 75-69 Sunday to No. 2 Purdue, which leads the conference at 10-2.
BIG PICTURE
Nebraska: The Huskers came into the game leading the Big Ten with an average of 9.5 3-pointers per game. They made 12 Sunday, including five by Tominaga. They are 9-4 when making at least 10 3s.
Illinois: The Illini completed a grueling stretch of seven games in 19 days when they beat Ohio State on Wednesday. Illinois went 5-2 over those seven games, losing at home to Maryland and on the road in overtime to Northwestern. Illinois’ schedule eases considerably this month as the Illini make a bid for the Big Ten regular-season title. Starting with Sunday’s game against Nebraska, the Illini will play seven games during February.
UP NEXT
Nebraska: At Northwestern on Wednesday.
Illinois: At Michigan State on Saturday.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball