In a statement-making performance, No. 23 Nebraska defeated No. 13 Illinois 83-80 on Saturday at the State Farm Center. With the win, the Cornhuskers improved to 11-0 for the first time in program history to start a season. The victory also extended their school-record winning streak to 15 games.
Nebraska’s win came courtesy of a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Jamarques Lawrence, who finished with 14 points, including 11 in the second half. Lawrence’s late-game heroics brought a fiercely contested matchup to a dramatic close in which Illinois twice erased double-digit deficits, including a 13-0 first-half run that tied the game at 37-37 at the break.
However, the story of the game was Pryce Sandfort, who scored a career-high 32 points, with 26 coming in the first half. Sandfort was nearly unstoppable early, hitting 12 of 18 shots overall and 6 of 11 from beyond the arc, giving the Cornhuskers a 13-point advantage at one point. His hot shooting forced Illinois to adjust defensively and created opportunities for teammates like Rienk Mast, who added 17 points, and Jared Garcia, who contributed all 10 of his points in the final eight minutes.
Nebraska shot efficiently, making 51.6% of its field goals and converting 46% of its three-point attempts (12 of 26). Although Illinois held a 34-27 advantage on the boards, the Cornhuskers stayed in control thanks to precise execution in both transition and half-court sets, along with timely free throws and offensive rebounds. Nebraska’s defensive scheme forced Illinois into poor outside shooting, as the Illini missed eight of their first eight three-point attempts and shot just 10 of 29 from long range overall.
Illinois, meanwhile, saw strong individual performances from Kylan Boswell (20 points), Andrej Stojakovic (19 points, 10 rebounds), and freshman Keaton Wagler (19 points, 10 assists). With under two minutes remaining, Illinois had closed the gap to 76-74, but the Cornhuskers' clutch efforts from Garcia and Lawrence ensured the win.
This victory was Nebraska’s first true road Quad 1 win of the season and its first win at Illinois since 2016. The team is off to a 2-0 record in Big Ten play. The win also affirmed the Cornhuskers' ability to perform under pressure against ranked opponents, improving their record to 4-6 when facing a ranked team while ranked themselves.
Up next, Nebraska will return to Lincoln for a break before hosting North Dakota on Dec. 21 at Pinnacle Bank Arena, while Illinois will regroup ahead of its Braggin’ Rights matchup against Missouri on Dec. 22.
