![](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/62d76fb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/737x414+0+40/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FOwPNxX4QMt_kZeGRAS_yLnvaLE8%3D%2F0x0%3A737x494%2F737x494%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28369x247%3A370x248%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24400843%2FScreen_Shot_2023_01_31_at_10.54.14_PM.png)
Matthew Mayer scored 16 points to lead four in double figures as Illinois beat Nebraska 72-56 on Tuesday night at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Illinois (16-6, 7-4 Big Ten) has won seven of its last eight games while Nebraska (10-13, 3-9) has lost four straight.
Illinois pulled away with a 15-4 run for a 63-54 lead with 5:29 to play. Sencire Harris scored six points with a dunk during the stretch and Hawkins had four points.
Mayer was 4 of 14 from the floor and made three of the Illini’s five three-pointers. Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 13 points, Jayden Epps had 12 and Coleman Hawkins added 10 points and eight rebounds. Harris had eight points.
Sam Griesel scored 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting to lead Nebraska. The Cornhuskers shot 40% and turned it over 19 times.
The Cornhuskers opened the game on a 12-5 run, but Illinois led 38-37 at the break. The Illini forced three turnovers in the opening minutes of the second half and led 48-41. The Cornhuskers answered a pair of three-pointers from Keisei Tominaga and one from C.J. Wilcher for their last lead at 50-48 with 12 minutes left.
Illinois plays at Iowa on Saturday. Nebraska hosts Penn State on Sunday.