CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Illinois junior guard Malcolm Hill had career highs of 34 points and 11 rebounds in leading the Fighting Illini to a 91-79 win against South Dakota Saturday at the State Farm Center.
It was the first meeting between the programs in 44 years and the second Big Ten foe for the Coyotes this season. South Dakota (7-5) beat Minnesota 85-81 in double-overtime back on Dec. 5. The team's loss Saturday was its second in the last eight games.
The Coyotes entered with a higher RPI than their counterparts, but trailed 14-0 less than five minutes into the contest and by a 55-36 margin at halftime. South Dakota climbed within six points twice in the final five minutes, but drew no closer.
Tre Burnette scored 19 of his career-high 27 points in the second half to lead South Dakota, which beat Milwaukee in double-overtime two nights prior on a last-second jumper by Burnette.
Casey Kasperbauer added 12 points Saturday and
Shy McClelland had nine.
Hill had seven points before South Dakota recorded any. The Illini's second-leading scorer entering the game at 17 points per game had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the first half. He finished 10 of 16 from the field, 4 of 7 from long range, and made 10 of 11 free throws. He and freshman Jalen Coleman-Lands combined for eight of Illinois' 14 three-pointers. Coleman-Lands tied his season high of 17 points.
South Dakota guard
Trey Norris made it 81-75 with a jumper in the paint with 4:20 remaining. The Coyotes couldn't connect on two possessions to draw closer before Hill's fourth triple pushed the lead back to nine.
Burnette's fifth 3-pointer made it 84-78 with 2:03 remaining. Burnette was 5 of 10 from long range. He missed from long range on the Coyotes' next possession and Michael Finke hit a 3 on the other end for Illinois (7-5) that made it 87-78 with a minute to go.
Both teams shot near 48 percent for the game and combined for just six second-chance points. The Illini made 17 of 20 free throws while the Coyotes were 6 of 13.
USD next flies to Las Vegas for a 9 p.m. (CT) tip against UNLV Tuesday. The Coyotes will take on Florida Gulf Coast at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls at 7 p.m. on Dec. 28 before starting Summit League play on New Year's Day.
