Nebraska came to Champaign with the fourth-best record in the Big Ten, and the Illini were amidst a four game winning streak. The two teams had played earlier in the season, where the Illini suffered a heartbreaking loss on a buzzer beater three.
That one hurt, but Illinois came into the rematch knowing it could hang with the Huskers.
Illinois led for nearly the entire first half and was up by 10 at the break. It was one of Illinois’ best offensive halves of the year. Leron Black was making everything, Trent Frazier knocked down a few threes and Kipper Nichols was active and engaged.