'Don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that' - No. 12 Illini's Second Half Explosion Leads to Blowout Win

No. 12 Illinois used a 53-13 second-half explosion to turn a first-half disaster into a 81-56 blowout win at Northwestern.

Brad Underwood has earned a salary as a college basketball coach for the better part of 32 years and the difference between Illinois’ 20-minute segments Thursday night was something he says he’s never seen before.

In a 81-56 win at Northwestern, which was Illinois’ third win away from home this season, the No. 12 Illini uncorked an historic second-half rally that included outsourcing the Wildcats 53-13 and holding the home team to just two field goals, none of which were inside the paint.

“I’ve been doing this a long time and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that game." - Illinois head coach Brad Underwood

According to Stats Inc., Illinois became the first team to outscore a major conference opponent by at least 40 points in a single half since March 5, 2003, when Kentucky outscored Vanderbilt by 43 in the second half of a 106-44 win. Illinois is the only Division I team in the last 25 seasons to trail by 15 or more points at halftime but would rally to win by 20 or more. 

The difference was simple according to both Underwood and the 7-foot, 290-pound center he challenged in the halftime locker room. Kofi Cockburn, who had just two rebounds in 12 minutes of action during a first half that saw Illinois down by as much as 16 and behind 43-28 at the halftime buzzer, manhandled the Northwestern frontline in the final 20 minutes on his way to his eighth double-double this year. 

Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) blocks a shot in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena :: Quinn Harris/USA TODAY Sports

Cockburn finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and according to his post-game media conference, several verbal assaults from his coaches throughout a seesaw performance by everybody in orange and blue.

“(Underwood) definitely got on me. I was playing with low energy in the first half and he got on me about being a better leader and coming out to play with energy that the other guys could feed off of,” Cockburn said. “He got on me but he knows I like that though and knows that is how you can get me going.”

Cockburn has registered a double-double in five of six Big Ten contests and is now averaging 20.0 points and 11.3 rebounds in Big Ten Conference play while shooting 70.8 percent from the field. Ayo Dosunmu managed to overcome early foul trouble and a turnover-heavy first half to fill the box score once again in a well-rounded performance of 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and an individual plus/minus of plus-32 in 30 minutes. Trent Frazier was instrumental again in shutting down one of the league’s most talented guards as Northwestern’s Boo Buie left Welsh-Ryan Arena scoreless on six shots.

Illinois’ 25-point victory at Northwestern was its largest margin in Evanston since a 63-30 win on Feb. 19, 2000 when Illinois led 30-6 at halftime. Illinois is 5-1 in league play for the first time since the 2004-2005 season that ended with a trip to the national championship game.

Northwestern built a 15-point halftime lead after slowing down Illinois’ transition game with a 3-2 zone defense and the ability to convert 11 Illini turnovers into 15 quick points. While eight Northwestern players got into the scoring column, only sophomore forward Robbie Beran registered double figures with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during a time out in the first half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena :: Quinn Harris/USA TODAY Sports

“That is where this program has gotten to where these guys were mad at half and they were mad at themselves,” Underwood said. “They were really disappointed. To come out in the second half and hold a team to eight percent (shooting) and two field goals, I’ve not been a part of that. I’m really proud of our guys (because) that shows a lot of growth and maturity.”

Thursday night’s performance represents another example of how this 2020-21 Illinois team can withstand being down early in games as they’ve overcome deficits in each of its last four conference wins.

“This whole season is resiliency and it starts with COVID and everything else but I mentioned it in our last game versus Purdue where we go 9 of 22 from the foul line and they go on a 19-0 run,” Underwood said. “You usually don’t win those games but this team has a fight and a competitiveness that I love.”

Illinois will next play at State Farm Center, where they’ve won six straight league games, against Maryland (6-6, 1-5) as the Terrapins just received a 89-67 blowout home loss to Iowa Thursday night.