Northwestern @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 13, 2019 ) Northwestern 69, Illinois 74

Illinois looks to continue its upward trajectory when it hosts Northwestern in Big Ten play on Saturday. The Fighting Illini have won three consecutive conference games, including a 54-51 victory over Rutgers on Jan. 11, to match last season’s win total while moving into a tie for second place in the conference standings, and they hope to stay on track for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2013 by recording their fourth straight home win in the rivalry with the Wildcats.

“It’s a great feeling knowing the hard work is paying off but we’re not satisfied,” Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu told reporters. “We want to keep striving to get better and be the best team in the league.” Northwestern fell back into the Big Ten cellar following a 75-62 loss to No. 24 Iowa on Tuesday. The injury-depleted Wildcats had picked up their first conference win of the season against Nebraska on Jan. 11 but were held to 36.2 percent shooting in the loss to the Hawkeyes, and they hope to turn their fortunes around by knocking off the Fighting Illini in Champaign for the first time since Jan. 17, 2013. “I think we hit the wall a little bit emotionally and physically,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters. “It was our fourth game in 10 days with only having eight guys available and it’s been a really tough stretch.”

TIME: 5 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (6-10, 1-5 Big Ten): Freshman Miller Kopp registered a team-best 15 points to finish in double figures for the sixth consecutive game and matched his career high with seven rebounds against Iowa. Sophomore Pete Nance added 11 points and 10 rebounds to notch his third double-double of the campaign, while freshman Robbie Beran finished with nine points and five boards in the loss to the Hawkeyes. “I just need to keep taking my shots,” Nance told reporters. “My teammates are trusting me and passing to me, so I need to knock them down.”

ABOUT ILLINOIS (12-5, 4-2): Dosunmu (15.5 points) scored a team-high 18 points, including the final eight for his team, and pulled down seven rebounds in the win against Rutgers. Kofi Cockburn added 11 points and equaled his career high with 17 rebounds against the Scarlet Knights to set a program record for most double-doubles by a freshman with seven. Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Andres Feliz each tallied eight points to help the Fighting Illini improve to 10-1 at home despite shooting 28.6 percent from the floor, which was their lowest shooting percentage in a win since at least 1979-80.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Illinois is ranked second nationally in rebounding margin (plus-10.5).

2. Kopp has scored in double figures in 12 games this season.

3. Dosunmu has scored 18 or more points in five of his last six games.

PREDICTION: Illinois 76, Northwestern 65