Standing 7 feet tall and weighing in at 285 pounds, Illinois center Kofi Cockburn is one of college basketball’s great behemoths – an unyielding matchup nightmare who commands double teams and devours double-doubles.
As if his physical dimensions weren’t eye-popping on their own, the two-time AP All-American’s stats are equally overwhelming. He entered Friday as the only player in the nation averaging 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds.
In a word, he’s simply dominant.
But as a team? The fourth-seeded Fighting Illini were anything but during their 54-53 against over No. 13 seed Chattanooga Friday night at PPG Paints Arena.
As he always does, the big man got his. He led all scorers with 17 points and added 13 rebounds for yet another double-double.
However, in a rock fight of game in which Illinois led for a grand total of 25 seconds, it was late-game defense and a spirited second-half surge from graduate transfer Alfonso Plummer that gave the Fighting Illini just enough wiggle room to move on to the second round.
“Survive and advance,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said to open his postgame press conference. “That's pretty much the theme of that game.”
Plummer, who hit the game-winning free throws with 12 seconds remaining, scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half. Coleman Hawkins added 10 points and eight rebounds.
But for most of the game, the Illinois offense sputtered. The Illini shot just 38.8% on 19-of-49 shooting from the field and 3-of-17 (17.6%) from 3-point range.
“I've tried to build this thing around the fact that when you have nights like this in the NCAA tournament, and you don't shoot the ball well … how do you advance?” Underwood said. “Tonight, we found a way to do that. And that's what this thing is truly all about. Being able to guard. Being tough enough. Being able to make play and make a stop when you have to.”
Chattanooga – which qualified for the tournament thanks to a thrilling overtime buzzer beater in the Southern Conference tournament – looked for much of the game like it might play Cinderella.
The Mocs delivered the first blow early. They jumped out to a 14-3 lead five minutes into the game and extended the margin to as many as 14 points with 11 minutes remaining in the first half.
“No doubt, they were the ones who threw the first punch – or the first three punches,” Underwood said. “They just knocked us right in the mouth the first six minutes of the game and took it to us. Kicked our butt.”
Illinois closed the gap to 33-29 at the half, but still struggled to capture the lead. Chattanooga extend its lead back to 11 early in the second half before their shooting touch went cold.
The Mocs converted just two of their final 15 field goal attempts over the last nine minutes of the game. Overall, they too struggled offensively, shooting just 32.3% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range.
“I just pray for a reasonable day offensively,” Chattanooga coach Lamont Paris said. “It doesn't have to be the best, that's for sure, but let's just not have two guys have one of the worst days they've ever had… We just happened to have a day where a couple guys didn't perform great offensively.”
In spite of the late-game offensive struggles, Chattanooga clung to a one-point lead in the closing minute.
With just 48 seconds remaining, a foul sent Hawkins to the line. His shot banged off the front rim. But Cockburn was there for the rebound and put back to give Illinois a 52-51 lead – its first of the entire game.
Chattanooga’s Malachi Smith, who led the Mocs with 12 points, recaptured the lead moments later with a pair of free throws. Then, with just 12 seconds remaining and Illinois trailing by one, Plummer sunk a pair of free throws to give the Illini a 54-53 lead.
Smith, one of college basketball’s most prolific scorers, shot just 4-of-20 from the field during an uncharacteristically inefficient evening. He had one last chance to extend the Mocs season.
Out of a high ball screen action, Smith rushed to the rim. Coleman blocked initial attempt. In scramble mode, Smith got his own rebound and launched one last prayer that went unanswered.
“I felt like if you're going to get a shot for the win, that's a shot you'll take,” Smith said. “And it's frustrating because it’s a shot I work on a lot, and it didn't go in. And that's all I can say. I just let my teammates down, and I just missed a shot that I usually make.”
Mike DeFabo: mdefabo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDeFabo.
Turning point: Chattanooga led by 11 with less than 18 minutes in the game when their offense went cold. They scored just 13 points the rest of the way.
Player of the game: Kofi Cockburn, Illinois: Led all players with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while aso drawing 11 fouls.
Numbers game: 25 – Illinois led for a grand total of 25 seconds in the entire game. But it was enough.
Overheard: “Remembering last year it was Loyola [that upset us] and just remembering how that felt. [I was] saying to myself, ‘We can't let it happen again. Can't let it happen again.” – Cockburn on what was going through his mind during the final Chattanooga possession.
First Published: March 19, 2022, 1:26 a.m.
Updated: March 19, 2022, 3:01 a.m.