No. 2 Baylor Locks Down Ayo Dosunmu, No. 5 Illinois in Win

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The No. 2 team in the country picked up its first resume-boosting win Wednesday as the Baylor Bears defeated No. 5 Illinois, 82-69, during the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The win sets up a No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle on Saturday as the Bears face top-ranked Gonzaga at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

A 14-3 run over 2:30 midway through the second half proved to be the difference for Baylor as the Bears held on to a multiple-possession lead over the final six minutes.

That only became possible once Illini star Kofi Cockburn picked up his fourth foul with just under nine minutes to play, forcing head coach Brad Underwood to put his starting center on the bench against a Baylor team that boasts plenty of length. The Bears immediately went on a 9-0 run when Cockburn exited, knocking down six consecutive field goals to stretch the lead with time running out.

Underwood attempted to stem Baylor’s offensive surge by putting Cockburn back on the floor with 6:35 to play, but the Illini were unable to cut back into the lead.

Notable Performers

Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois Fighting Illini: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block

Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois Fighting Illini: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists

Giorgi Bezhanishvili, F, Illinois Fighting Illini: 15 points, 4 rebounds

Adam Flagler, G, Baylor Bears: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Jared Butler, G, Baylor Bears: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, F, Baylor Bears: 9 points, 9 rebounds

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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