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Illinois runs away from Northwestern 86-60

CHAMPAIGN - Rayvonte Rice scored 19 points in his first start since early January and Illinois buried Northwestern with 3-pointers Saturday, 86-60.

The win ended a three-game losing streak for the Illini (18-11, 8-8 Big Ten) and stopped a four-game win streak for the Wildcats (14-15, 5-11).

Rice, who added seven rebounds, was one of five Illini to score in double figures. Ahmad Starks had 17 points, Malcolm Hill added 15 and Kendrick Nunn 14. Maverick Morgan contributed 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Illinois hit 14 of 29 3-point attempts in a game that was all but over by halftime. Illinois led at the break 45-23.

Alex Olah led the Wildcats with 18 points.

The win was big for an Illinois team still trying to play its way into the NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern's only real hope came early. The Wildcats closed to 12-9 with 16:28 left in the first half on a jumper by Bryant McIntosh.

But that hope faded fast.

From there Illinois went on a 33-14 run to close the first half, and took a 45-23 lead to the locker room.

Illinois' 3-pointers came from up and down the roster, as four different players took six or more shots from long distance, hitting at 48.3 percent.

Nunn came into the game on a scoring slump but got the flood started with a 3 on the game's first shot.

Reserve forward Austin Colbert, who averages 2 points a game and seldom strays out of the lane on offense, hit one later in the first half.

Hill had three by halftime.

When Hill hit his first 3 of the game with 7:33 left in the first half to build Illinois' lead to 27-12, Wildcat leading scorer Tre Demps could only answer at the other end with a shot clanked off the front of the rim.

Demps dropped his head for a second in obvious frustration.

For the Wildcats, it was clear it was going to be that kind of night.

Demps, who averages almost 13 points, finished with a quiet seven points on 3 of 8 shooting.

Rice's return to the starting lineup followed a rocky season for the senior guard. He broke a hand in practice the week after the Ohio State game on Jan. 3 and, while still out injured, was suspended by Illinois coach John Groce Jan. 31 for an unspecified violation of team rules. He's played off the bench since he came back Feb. 12 against Michigan.

He remains the team's leading scorer averaging 16.2 points and the leading rebounder at 6.6 boards.

TIP-INS

Northwestern: Coming into Saturday's game, Northwestern rode the 3-pointer to four straight wins. The Wildcats averaged 9.8 3s in those victories over Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State and Indiana but managed just 5 of 20 against Illinois.

Illinois: The 3 was the Illini weapon of choice Saturday, but defense has been the key to their wins. Coming into Saturday's game, Illinois held opponents to fewer than 70 points in 17 of their last 18 wins and fewer than 60 in 11 of their last 13 victories.

UP NEXT

Northwestern plays Michigan at home on Tuesday.

Illinois hosts Nebraska on Wednesday.

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