Catching Up With Ohio State Men’s Basketball: Buckeyes lose at Illinois, 69-60

Brice Sensabaugh shoots jumper against Illinois. The freshman guard led the team in scoring again with 14 points. (courtesy OSU Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois used a run at the start of the second half to open up a double-digit lead and would knock-off Ohio State 69-60 on Tuesday night in Champaign.

The Buckeyes are now 11-9 on the season and 3-6 in Big Ten play.

Brice Sensabaugh led the team in scoring for the 11th consecutive game, this time with 14 points. Justice Sueing came off the bench to score 13 points and add four rebounds. Sean McNeil had seven points and a team-high three assists while Zed Key and Bruce Thornton added eight points apiece.

Four players finished in double figures for Illinois, led by Terrence Shannon Jr. with 17.

Illinois went a 7-0 run to take an early lead and led throughout the rest of the opening half. The lead grew to as much as 11 as the Buckeyes were limited to 31 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes.

The Illini then opened the second half on a 14-5 run to shove the lead out to 48-31 and the Buckeyes would only creep as close as eight the rest of the way.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY OSU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS