On Saturday afternoon in Champaign, No. 23 Illinois is threatening to hand No. 1 Ohio State its first loss of the season. At the half, the Illini held a 34-33 lead over the Buckeyes.
Ohio State Vs. Illinois: No. 1 Buckeyes Trail At Half Vs. No. 23 Illini
In the first half, Illinois shot a remarkable 50 percent from the field. Off the bench, Jerome Richmond has hit six of nine field goals to score 12 points, while also snagging six rebounds. Brandon Paul is also contributing off the bench with eight points. The Illini didn't draw many fouls, though, as they've shot only two free throws thus far.
Ohio State, meanwhile, is shooting only 38.7 percent. Jared Sullinger leads his team with 11 points and eight rebounds, but David Lighty has only managed 7 points from 2-for-7 shooting.
A win, it should go without saying, would be enormous for the Illini, who don’t face another ranked opponent until Feb. 10th. This match-up between Big Ten rivals is being broadcast on CBS, but if you aren’t near a television, you can watch it online here.
For more on these teams, check in with SB Nation’s Ohio State blog, Along The Olentangy, and our Illinois blog, Hail To The Orange.
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