HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Illinois 71, Nebraska 51: D.J. Richardson scored a career-high 30 points as the visiting Fightin Illini snapped a three-game losing streak.

Richardson shot 6-of-9 from beyond the arc and 6-of-6 at the foul line while Brandon Paul chipped in 14 points for Illinois (15-5, 2-4 Big Ten). Nnanna Egwu logged eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

Dylan Talley led Nebraska (10-10, 1-6) with 16 points. Brandon Ubel added 10 for the Cornhuskers, who shot 31.8 percent from the field and 2-for-14 from 3-point range.

The Fighting Illini ran out to a 15-4 lead 7:49 into regulation behind back-to-back deep balls from Richardson and a three-point play by Joseph Bertrand. Illinois closed the first half on a 9-2 run to take a 35-23 lead into halftime.

Four straight points by Ubel and an Andre Almeida free throw pulled Nebraska within 37-30 3:35 into the second half before Richardson made a 3-pointer and a jumper to push the lead back to 12. An Almeida dunk with 13:09 left cut the Cornhuskers' deficit to 44-38, but after Paul scored five straight points, Nebraska was never able to get closer than seven.

GAME NOTEBOOK: First-year Illinois coach John Groce earned his 100th career victory. ... The Fighting Illini outrebounded Nebraska 40-28. ... After scoring a career-high 29 points against Penn State on Saturday, Cornhuskers freshman Shavon Shields managed two points.