PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Ron Harper Jr. scored 28 points, Jacob Young added 24 and No. 19 Rutgers overcame a double-digit first-half deficit to beat No. 13 Illinois 91-88 on Sunday.
Illinois (5-3, 1-1 Big Ten) quickly jumped out to an 8-0 lead, leading by as many as 11 in the first half before going into the break up 41-37.
Rutgers (6-0, 2-0) would get to within one a couple of times in the second half before Harper hit a 3-pointer to give Rutgers its first lead of the game at 49-47 five minutes into the second half. Harper would finish the game 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
However, the lead wouldn’t last, as Illinois tied it on the following possession on a dunk by Giorgi Bezhanishvili. The teams would trade leads before Harper had a dunk on a fastbreak midway through the half to make it 54-53. The Scarlet Knights would never give up the lead, going up by as many as 12.
Ayo Dosunmu led Illinois with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Kofi Cockburn had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Illini, while Trent Frazier added 19 points and five assists.
Myles Johson added nine points and 13 rebounds. Montez Mathis chipped in with 15 points.
BIG CLIFF HURT
Rutgers big man Cliff Omoruyi sustained a non-contact injury to his right 2:18 into the second half. The trainers put a brace on the knee and he rode the stationary bike for a few minutes before going to the trainer’s room and returning to the bench, but not the game. The ballyhooed freshman recruit finished with two rebounds.
BIG PICTURE
Illinois: The Fighting Illini are in the final leg of a back-to-back road trip, and were looking to start 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2013-14. While Rutgers prevented Illinois from doing so, the Illini look like a team poised to compete for the Big Ten title.
Rutgers: Playing in its first game involving two top 20 opponents since 1979, the Scarlet Knights began a six games stretch where five games against teams ranked in the Top 25, with a home-and-home vs. No. 20 Ohio State, and top-5 matchups against No. 3 Iowa and at No. 4 Michigan State, all by January 9.
UP NEXT
Illinois: At Penn State on Wednesday.
Rutgers: At No. 20 Ohio State on Wednesday.
