Fighting Illini Lose 2nd Straight to Wisconsin. 67-63

Illinois' Basketball team has now lost two straight, including an upset at home Sunday at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers.

The 67-63 loss also breaks a 14-game home winning streak dating back into last season. Meyers Leonard led Illinois with 16 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Joseph Bertrand with 15 points.

The team has to wait until Saturday to try and get back on the winning track, taking on the Golden Gophers in Minnesota. Leonard dismissed notions of being too tired in a game that relied little on the Illini bench.

"Between me, D.J. (Richardson), Joe (Bertrand), and Brandon (Paul), we played a lot of minutes," Leonard said. "Obviously, you'll get a little fatigued with your legs and the contant pounding throughout the game, but I wouldn't say that. We're all really good athletes and able to play that many minutes. Those couple plays that made a difference - we didn't make them and they did. And we just have to get better, and make sure next time that happens, we make them."

Jordan Taylor had 19 points in Wisconsin's fourth straight win. Badgers Coach Bo Ryan says his team has to do the little things to succeed.

"We don't strike fear in a whole lot of hearts when we show up on the court, even though Jordan (Taylor) probably doesn't realize it," Ryan said. "But there's a lot of good players out there on every team that we play. But hustle opportunities are things should be trying to get, and every team should play off of. That's the way the game should be played."

Sunday's Assembly Hall crowd of over 16-thousand 600 was also the first sellout of the 2011-2012 season.