BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — 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.
