Illini All-American Ayo Dosunmu Out With Broken Nose; Return Status Currently Unclear

Illinois junior All-American guard Ayo Dosunmu has suffered a broken nose and and his playing status for the remainder of Illinois' regular season schedule is unclear.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The playing status for Illinois All-American guard Ayo Dosunmu is reportedly unclear following the shot he took to the face near the end of the loss at Michigan State on Tuesday night.

A report from The Athletic and reporter Brian Hamilton has confirmed from an unknown source that Dosunmu has suffered a broken nose resulting in a forearm shot he received from Michigan State freshman center Mady Sissoko.

The news of Dosunmu's broken nose injury was also confirmed by Sports Illustrated reporter Pat Forde. 

Illinois star Ayo Dosunmu has a broken nose, a source confirmed to The Athletic. He's been fitted for a mask but it's unclear when the potential All-American will return to the floor for the No. 5 Illini, who host Nebraska tonight. Dosunmu suffered the injury at Michigan State.

— Brian Hamilton (@_Brian_Hamilton) February 25, 2021

Illini Now/Sports Illustrated can confirm Dosunmu will be out for the 6 p.m. tonight against Nebraska at State Farm Center with what the school is calling a "facial injury" and his status for future games is unclear.

"Ayo is eager to play,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said in a university statement. “We are hopeful for his return to our lineup.” 

On a drive to the basket with nearly four minutes left in the game, Dosunmu received either a forearm or elbow to his face from Sissoko on his layup attempt. Dosunmu laid on the floor for a few minutes before getting up on his own and refusing to leave the game for the final four minutes and eight seconds of the No. 5 Illini’s 81-72 loss in East Lansing Tuesday night.

Here are the two plays where Mady Sissoko hit #Illini Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn in the head.

The hit on Kofi was not deemed flagrant and later he made a violent play on Ayo. https://t.co/dEWrhPcSMp pic.twitter.com/qWnprztkxT

— Hoop Informatics (@HoopInformatics) February 24, 2021

A replay review by the game officials determined Sissoko be assessed a Flagrant 2 foul that would result in the immediate ejection for the Spartans backup center.

Dosunmu, a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award and a preseason first-team All-American selection, leads Illinois in scoring at 21 points per game and in assists with 5.3 per game. Dosunmu is in what most national analysts had determined was a two-player race with Iowa center Luka Garza for both Big Ten Player of the Year and Nasmith National Player of the Year.

Dosunmu struggled in the loss at the Breslin Center as the junior guard finished with 17 points in 37 minutes but was just 6 of 18 from the field, 1 of 6 from three-point range and 4 of 8 from the foul line.

Hamilton’s report in The Athletic includes that news that Dosunmu is currently being fitted for a clear mask in order to play with the injury but his status for future games including tonight’s games against Nebraska. Following this home finale, Illinois will finish the regular season with road games at No. 23 Wisconsin (1 p.m., Saturday), at No. 3 Michigan (March 2, 6 p.m.) and at No. 4 Ohio State (March 6). 

The last shot Ayo Dosunmu would take at State Farm Center: a three-point dagger against Northwestern.

Hope to have you back on the court soon, Dos 🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/P1Ybqnc78j

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) February 25, 2021