Matthew Mayer’s career-high 26 points fuels Illinois to a 61-51 win against Wisconson — the Illini’s 6th win in 7 games

MADISON, Wis. — Matthew Mayer scored 18 of his career-high 26 factors within the second half and Illinois defeated Wisconsin 61-51 on Saturday.

Mayer drained 5 3-pointers and shot 9 of 19 total. Jayden Epps added 13 factors for the Combating Illini (15-6, 6-4 Huge Ten), who’ve gained six of seven.

Chucky Hepburn scored 15 factors and Max Klesmit returned from a two-game damage absence to attain 12 for the Badgers (12-8, 4-6), losers of three straight and 6 of seven.

Mayer scored 10 factors in a 22-4 run that started halfway via the second half, erasing Wisconsin’s solely lead within the half and placing the Illini up by 17 with 4 minutes remaining.

After the groups mixed for the convention’s lowest-scoring first half of the season — Illinois led 20-16 on the break — the Illini received off to a fast begin within the second with Mayer scoring eight of their first 12 factors to take a 12-point lead. However Wisconsin responded with a 15-2 run with Hepburn hitting a pair of 3-pointers plus a drive and basket that put the Badgers up by some extent.

The Illini opened 1-of-7 capturing and Wisconsin 1 of 10 because the groups mixed for simply 5 factors by the primary media timeout. Illinois shot 33% and Wisconsin a dismal 18%, the groups combining to go 15-for-60 total and 5 of 24 from 3-point vary.

Illinois, which beat Wisconsin at house 79-69 on Jan. 7, has gained six straight within the sequence and three in a row in Madison.

Illinois performs host to Nebraska on Tuesday. Wisconsin is at Ohio State on Thursday.