Oregon 71, Illinois 64
PORTLAND, Ore. -- No. 15 Oregon used an 11-0 run to rally from a nine-point deficit in the second half and defeat Illinois 71-64 Saturday night at Moda Center.
Forward Mike Moser had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead the Ducks, who improved to 9-0, while guard Joseph Young also had 14 points.
Guards Tracy Abrams and Rayvonte Rice each scored 16 to lead Illinois (9-2).
Oregon trailed by nine in the second half before scoring 11 straight points to take a 58-54 lead. Illinois responded with five in a row to go back in the lead before forward Elgin Cook drove for a basket that put Oregon ahead 60-59 with 3:05 left. Moser followed with a 3-pointer to push the Ducks ahead 63-59.
Rice made a free throw for Illinois, but Cook answered with a basket for Oregon. Guard Joseph Bertrand made a basket to get the Illini within 65-62, but guard Johnathan Loyd came back for Oregon with a jumper to push the lead to 67-62 with 28.5 seconds left.
After Abrams made two free throws for Illinois, Loyd converted a pair for the Ducks with 16.1 seconds left. Loyd got a steal and layup to end the game.
Three other players scored in double figures for the Ducks: forward Elgin Cook (12), Loyd (11) and guard Damyean Dotson (10).
The first half was a back-and-forth affair.
Illinois was up 20-16 on a couple free throws by Ekey before Oregon ran off nine straight points. Dotson hit a jumper before Moser made a couple free throws to tie the game. Moser added a pair of baskets to put Oregon ahead 24-20 with 4:18 left in the half and center Waverly Austin added a free throw for the Ducks.
Rice scored the next four points before Abrams scored to put Illinois back ahead 26-25. Dotson scored on back-to-back possessions to put Oregon back ahead 29-28 before forward Austin Colbert made a free throw to tie the game.
Young made a 3-pointer with 45 seconds remaining before Abrams converted a three-point play to tie the game 32-32 at halftime.
Oregon led 37-34 early in the second half on a bucket by Young before Illinois ran off nine straight points.
Abrams made two free throws before Rice and forward Jon Ekey buried back-to-back 3-pointers to put Illinois ahead 42-37 with 16:10 left. Colbert added a dunk before Young stopped the run with a basket to get Oregon within 44-39 with 14:49 to play.
Abrams made a jumper before Cook added a couple free throws for the Ducks. Guard Kendrick Nunn and Rice hit consecutive shots to push the Illini ahead 50-41 with 13:06 left.
Cook hit a basket for Oregon and guard Jason Calliste drove for a basket to get the Ducks within 50-45. Bertrand had a steal and dunk to push the lead to 54-47 before Calliste hit a 3-pointer and Cook scored inside to get the Ducks within 54-52. Calliste drove to tie the game 54-54 with 6:34 to go.
Moser scored off an inbound pass from Loyd to give Oregon a 56-54 lead and Young followed with a basket for the Ducks. Ekey ended Oregon's 11-0 run with a tip-in and forward Nnanna Egwu followed with a 3-pointer to put the Illini back ahead 59-58 with 3:29 to play.
NOTES: Oregon played its final two games without PG Dominic Artis and F Ben Carter, who were declared ineligible by the NCAA for the first nine games after accepting extra benefits. ... Oregon played a home game in Portland for the first time since 2010. Senior F Mike Moser is the lone Duck from Portland. ... Fourth-year Oregon coach Dana Altman and second-year Illinois coach John Groce are both getting transfers to help build their program. The Ducks have three transfers from Division I schools and three junior-college transfers while the Illini have two Division I transfers eligible this season and three sitting out this year after transferring.
