Nebraska upsets No. 18 Illinois 80-74 in OT

By Canadian Press on January 30, 2025.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Brice Williams scored eight points in overtime and finished with 27 as Nebraska ended a six-game losing streak with an 80-74 win over No. 18 Illinois on Thursday night.

The Huskers (13-8, 3-7 Big Ten) never trailed while knocking off a third ranked opponent in the same season for the first time since 2013-14.

Illinois (14-7, 6-5) lost for the first time in 10 meetings with the Huskers and for the first time in four visits to Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Connor Essegian scored 14 points off the bench and Juwan Gary added 13 for the Huskers.

Kasparas Jakucionis led the Illini with 18 points, Wes Riley made four 3-pointers while scoring 16 points and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 15.

Williams made three straight shots and a pair of free throws to put the Huskers up by eight points in overtime. He broke a 72-all tie with a shot from the wing, muscled in for an inside basket and then hit a baseline jumper.

NO. 19 MEMPHIS 68, TULANE 56

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Dain Dainja scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, Colby Rogers scored all his 14 points in the second half and No. 19 Memphis beat Tulane 68-56 on Thursday night.

PJ Carter also scored 14 points for Memphis (17-4, 6-2 American Athletic Conference). Rogers and Carter each hit four of the Tigers’ nine 3-pointers. PJ Haggerty, who went into the game No. 2 nationally in scoring (22.1 points per game), scored a season-low eight on 3-of-11 shooting.

Rowan Brumbaugh led Tulane (11-10, 5-3) with 19 points and Kaleb Banks added 14.

Banks made a layup with 4:41 to play that cut the Green Wave’s deficit to 56-53 but Memphis scored 12 of the final 15 points, including two 3s by Rogers.

The Associated Press