BRAD UNDERWOOD

Kofi Cockburn scored a career-high 38 points to lead No. 14 Illinois to a hard-fought 94-85 win over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Friday night. Illinois (4-2) started slowly, trailing the Vaqueros by as many as 12 points in the first half. Timely buckets from Cockburn and Alfonso Plummer, a transfer guard from Utah, helped the Illini go on a 15-5 run to take a one-point lead at the half.

The Associated Press preseason All-American is set to play his first game Nov. 22 against Cincinnati in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the school's announcement Monday. The 7-foot center will miss the 11th-ranked Illini's first two home games, Nov. 9 against Jackson State and Nov. 12 against Arkansas State, as well as a Nov. 15 game against Marquette in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. The suspension is required as part of the reinstatement process that was triggered because Cockburn sold institutionally issued apparel and memorabilia in June, the university said. The state of Illinois and the NCAA enacted new name, image and likeness legislation on July 1 that would have made these sales permissible. In addition to the missed games, Cockburn will repay the amount generated from selling apparel by making a donation to a charity of his choice.

The NCAA has suspended Illinois center Kofi Cockburn for the first three games of the season because he sold apparel and memorabilia before new regulations that allow athletes to participate in money-making ventures went into effect.

Big Ten basketball entered a whole new world when it returned to Indianapolis for the first of two media days.

As the Fighting Illini celebrated their first Big Ten Tournament title since 2005 with a 91-88 overtime victory over No. 9 Ohio State on Sunday, they quickly turned the focus to their No. Instead of withering in their fourth game in four days and being without forward Kyle Young for the second consecutive game, Ohio State (21-9) continually fought back. BIG PICTUREOhio State: They didn't win the title but the fifth-seeded Buckeyes overperformed expectations. ALL-TOURNEY TEAMAdDosunmu and Cockburn were joined on the all-tournament team by Washington and Liddell from Ohio State and Iowa’s Luka Garza, the league’s player of the year.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – Illinois center Kofi Cockburn learned some hard lessons dueling with Luka Garza as a freshman. The victory sends the Illini to the Big Ten Tournament championship game. They made themselves at home, cheering loudly each time Cockburn made a play, while booing the foul calls against Illinois. A 9-0 run midway through the first half gave Illinois a 22-14 lead that it never surrendered. BIG PICTUREIowa: The Hawkeyes won't go away quietly in the NCAA Tournament, as Illinois found out Saturday.

Michigan can still wrap that up with a win in either of its last two regular-season games — or if Illinois loses its last game this weekend. The Wolverines are scheduled to play three fewer games than Illinois, and the size of this blowout — without Dosunmu — will resonate. Illinois could certainly pass Michigan as well after this game, but the Illini still have four more losses than the Wolverines. Plus, both Michigan and Illinois have more tests to come before the next poll. Michigan: The Wolverines finish the regular season with a home-and-home series against rival Michigan State, starting Thursday night in Ann Arbor.

And after an uncharacteristic first half, Drew understood why his players might have been a little unnerved. “It was a frustrating night," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. Baylor forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua started the decisive stretch by making two free throws with 12:51 left. After Illinois made a 3-pointer, Baylor scored five more points and then took control with another run, this time 9-0. ... MaCio Teague added 11 points and Tchamwa Tchatchoua had nine points and nine rebounds.

I just think that Lou is probably the most underrated coach in college basketball, former Illinois and pro player Stephen Bardo said. And for years after Henson left the sidelines, he and his wife, Mary, were widely loved, unofficial ambassadors for both Illinois and New Mexico State and the towns where theyre located, Champaign, Illinois, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Seriously who doesnt love him? said former NBA player Reggie Theus, who succeeded Henson at New Mexico State and considered him a mentor. Henson, a native of Okay, Oklahoma, played college basketball at New Mexico State in the early 1950s. A son, 35-year-old Lou Henson Jr., died in a 1992 car accident.

An Ohio officer is being praised for refusing to shoot a suspect. A man lunged at him and even pleaded for the officer to pull the trigger. WKRC's Brad Underwood has more on the whole thing that was caught on camera.