Kofi Cockburn scores career-high 38 points as Illinois fights off Texas-Rio Grande Valley 94-85Sun-Times wireson November 27, 2021 at 4:17 am

Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn (21) boxes out Texas Rio Grande Valley’s RayQuan Taylor during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. | Michael Allio/AP

Utah transfer Alfonso Plummer added 30 points, including six three-pointers, for the Illini.

CHAMPAIGN — Kofi Cockburn scored a career-high 38 points to lead No. 14 Illinois to a hard-fought 94-85 win over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Friday night.

Illinois (4-2) started slowly, trailing the Vaqueros by as many as 12 points in the first half. Timely buckets from Cockburn and Alfonso Plummer, a transfer guard from Utah, helped the Illini go on a 15-5 run to take a one-point lead at the half.

Plummer scored 30 points on 8 of 14 shooting, connecting on 6 of 11 3-point attempts. He also scored the team’s first six points in the second half.

Cockburn got open in the lane for a dunk to put the Illini up 88-83 with 1:40 to play, and later knocked down a pair of free throws to clinch the win in the final minute.

Justin Johnson was the leading scorer for Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-3) with 28 points. Marek Nelson had 23 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Illinois was without starters Andre Curbelo and Trent Frazier due to injuries, while Jacob Grandison missed the game due to an illness.

It was Plummer’s second time this week scoring more than 20 points. On Tuesday, he made seven 3s for 21 points in a 72-64 win over Kansas State on Tuesday.

BIG PICTURE

Injuries and other absences have stunted the Illini’s chemistry early on this season. If Cockburn and Plummer are the only players able to consistently produce, it could spell trouble next month with Notre Dame, Rutgers and No. 17 Arizona looming.

UP NEXT

Illinois: Hosts Notre Dame on Monday.

Texas Rio Grande Valley: Hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday.

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