André Curbelo impresses in Illinois’ first NCAA championship victory

Puerto Rican point guard André Curbelo and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini kicked off their entry into the NCAA Championship Tournament (March Madness) on Friday with an easy and resounding 78-49 win over Drexler.

Curbelo played 23 minutes, scoring eight points with six assists and three rebounds, but the dominant figure was center Kofi Cockburn, who delivered the most powerful ‘hits’ of the game.

The strongman poured the ball at will and victories dominated the scene in the painting, and several of those balls were served by the Puerto Rican, who came into play after just over three minutes of action and immediately changed the tonic.

In fact, Curbelo made some spectacular plays in the second half when luck seemed to have been thrown in the Fighting Illini’s favor, adding some fantasy to the Illinois game. One was a sensational pass between the legs of a rival, which Cockburn received to reach one of his multiple dunks off the ball. Shortly after, the Puerto Rican point guard scored himself on penetration between two Drexel players, who he dodged by switching the handball.

Cockburn was the best in Illinois out of the game with 18 points, in addition to recovering from five rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu had a solid game with 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Two other baskets, both in the starting draw, scored in double digits for Illinois, entering the March Madness as the best seed in its Midwest region, and as the Big Ten conference champion.

Illinois advanced to the second round with the win and will face the winner of the game between Loyola (8) and Georgia Tech (9), who also play next Friday, in the second round.

Curbelo, 19 years old and who, like Cockburn and Dosunmu, had just scored 16 points in that last Big Ten game, came in when the first four minutes hadn’t been played and Fighting Illini was down 5-2.

The rookie point guard who got the “best sixth man” of his conference made a failed first shot to the basket while his team was still down three points, but shortly thereafter delivered two near-consecutive assists, both of which fueled teammate Frazier. The second of those assists came after Curbelo caught a defensive rebound himself, and after dropping the ball, he gave it to Frazier, who hit a triple that gave Illinois the first lead, 7-5.

A few plays later, the Puerto Rican scored on the lay-up after Drexel led 8-7 and Illinois never gave up the lead again. There were seven issues in which Curbelo was involved in an instant to rotate the scoreboard.

Illinois’ rally since Curbelo came in was 15-3 before Drexel hit a Zach Walton 3-pointer with 10:03 remaining in the first half to make it 17-11. Illinois won the first half 39-21 and the second 39-28, for the bottom line via off-court.

The player of Puerto Rican descent Trent Frazier, with 11 points, and Adam Miller, 10, were the other two double-digit baskets for Illinois. Jacob Grandison scored eight, as did Curbelo.