CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — E.J. Liddell was maybe the biggest recruit to get away from Illinois coach Brad Underwood. And the Belleville (Ill.) West product proved it again on Saturday.
A year after scoring a season-high 17 points in a win over Illinois, the two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball scored a career-high 26 points and added a team-high seven rebounds to lead No. 21 Ohio State to an 87-81 win at No. 14 Illinois.
Ohio State, which has won three straight games, led for 38 minutes. After a four-game win streak, the Illini (9-5, 5-3 Big Ten) have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Liddell, a career 18.2 percent three-point shooter, made a career-high four 3-pointers, and Ohio State (11-3, 5-3 Big Ten) shot 11 of 21 from beyond the arc, including 7 of 11 during the first half.
Illinois trimmed a 15-point