PITTSBURGH — Illinois suffered another first-weekend exit from the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, turning in a dismal shooting performance in a 68-53 loss to Houston at PPG Paints Arena.
The fourth-seeded Illini got a brief spark from freshmen Luke Goode and RJ Melendez, who helped them survive another brutal start, and Illinois was neck and neck with the fifth-seeded Cougars with eight minutes left before falling apart down the stretch.
The Illini finished 23-10 and won a share of the Big Ten regular-season title, but the season will be remembered for another disappointing ending. Last year Illinois lost in the second round to Loyola as a No. 1 seed.
Houston (31-5) goes on to the Sweet 16 to play the Arizona-TCU winner.
Kofi Cockburn scored 19 points in what might have been his final game for Illinois, but he was the only Illini player in double figures. Andre Curbelo, who went scoreless, was benched with six minutes left in the first half and never returned. Alfonso Plummer and Trent Frazier were a combined 4-for-17.
An uncontested slam by Melendez with 8:40 left pulled the Illini within four at 46-42, but Melendez was hit with a questionable technical for hanging on the rim, and the Cougars converted the free throw as the crowd erupted.
A three-point play by Cockburn made it a two-point game with eight minutes left, but every time the Illini got close, Houston answered.
The Cougars went on a 7-0 run to take a 54-45 lead before a four-point play by Plummer pulled the Illini back again. The momentum was short-lived.
Cougars guard Jamal Shead hit a jumper, and Fabian White Jr. made a great play on a ball headed out of bounds, saving it and passing to Taze Moore in one fell swoop for a layup to make it a nine-point game with 3:40 remaining.
It was all downhill from there for the Illini, who shot 34% (17-for-50).
Moore scored 21 points to lead the Cougars, a Final Four team last year that has made it to the Sweet 16 in three straight seasons.
