Feb. 16, 2016 USATSI Gallery 
Box Score
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Despite a double-double from freshman Jonathan Laurent, Rutgers (6-20, 0-13) fell 82-66 to Illinois (12-14, 4-9) at the State Farm Center on Tuesday night. The freshman shot 7-of-11 to score 18 points with 11 rebounds to help spark a second half that saw the Scarlet Knights out-score the hosts 41-35.
Laurent was supplemented by Mike Williams, Bishop Daniels and D.J. Foreman, as four RU players scored in double figures. Williams and Daniels both added 15 points, while Foreman had 11. Daniels also dished-out a career-high seven assists, while Williams contributed five helpers.
Rutgers shot 43.9 percent, buoyed by a 53.6 percentage in the second half. The rebounding battle finished even at 33-33, while Illinois used a 40.9 percentage from long distance (9-of-22 on threes) and 82.6 percent from the charity stripe (19-of-23) to clinch the victory.
Illinois was led by Malcolm Hill, who scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Maverick Morgan added 17 points, five rebounds and four blocks.
Rutgers had only ten players available for the contest, including just seven on scholarship. The Scarlet Knights were without the services of guard Corey Sanders (16.2 ppg, 4.1 apg), forward Deshawn Freeman (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), center Ibrahima Diallo (3.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and center Shaquille Doorson.
Rutgers won the opening tip and earned baskets on the first two possessions, with a layup from Laurent and fadeaway from Greg Lewis giving the visitors a 4-0 advantage. The Illini countered with a 13-0 run, taking advantage of a Rutgers scoring drought of over four minutes.
Williams snapped that run by burying a three-pointer from the corner and added another three-pointer moments later. That sparked a 12-5 Rutgers burst, cutting the deficit to two at 18-16.
Rutgers encountered a scoring drought over the next 5:43 of action, however, and Illinois used a 19-6 run to stretch its lead to 37-22 at the final media timeout of the first frame.
The Fighting Illini entered the locker room at the midpoint with a 47-25 lead. The home squad shot 59 percent and 55 percent from behind the arc in the opening stanza.
Rutgers had a strong spurt early in the second half, using back-to-back blocks on the defensive end to encourage a 9-0 run over a stretch of 2:33 that brought RU back within 55-39. Laurent scored back-to-back baskets for the Scarlet Knights, who had a stretch of six for seven from the floor, as they extended that run to 13-5.
Rutgers continued to battle down the stretch. The Scarlet Knights had a span where they made 13-of-16 field goals, but were unable to cut the home squad's lead into single digits, and the Fighting Illini pulled away for the 16-point victory.
The Scarlet Knights return home for a 1 p.m. tip off versus Penn State on Saturday at the RAC. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
Postgame Notes
Jonathan Laurent had his second double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds (his previous double-double was Dec. 28, 2015 vs. UMass Lowell).
Laurent scored in double figures for the seventh time this season and reached double-figure rebounds for the second time.
Laurent led the team in rebounding for the second time this season and paced the squad in scoring for the first time.
In two games this season against Illinois, Laurent averaged 20.5 points and 10 rebounds.
Laurent had a career-best three blocks.
Williams scored in double figures for the 22nd time of his career and eighth time this season in conference play.
Williams recorded a career-best five assists.
Bishop Daniels had a career-high seven assists and added 15 points. He had 13 points and five assists in the second half.
DJ Foreman scored in double figures for the eighth time this season.
Sophomore point guard Jake Dadika played a career-high 16 minutes.
Rutgers had four players score in double-figures for the ninth time this season.
Rutgers used the starting lineup of guard Bishop Daniels, guard Mike Williams, guard Omari Grier, forward Jonathan Laurent and center Greg Lewis for the first time this season. It was the 11th different lineup Rutgers has used this season.
Illinois now holds a 4-0 lead in the lifetime series.
