Despite an early nine-point lead in the first half just before the under 12-minute media timeout, Illinois faltered on the road to Wake Forest, 80-73. Wake Forest utilized a size advantage while also capitalizing at the free-throw line Tuesday night to secure the win.

The Demon Deacons converted 24-31 attempts and outscored the Illini 26-18 in the paint. The Illini were efficient, but did not travel to the line nearly as much — they shot 11-12 from the charity stripe.

Wake Forest improved to 3-4 and the Illinois suffered its first loss of the season (6-1) in the 19th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. It was the second-ever meeting between the two schools.

Illinois is now 8-11 all-time in the Challenge with the last road victory occurring when Illinois defeated Maryland on Nov. 29, 2011.

Junior guard Bryant Crawford led all scorers with 20 points (5-10 FG, 2-5 3FG, 8-9 FT).

Two other Demon Deacons guards finished with double-digits in the scoring column. Senior Mitchell Wilbekin and sophomore Brandon Childress each scored 12 points.

The Illini last led 39-38 with 17:16 min remaining in the second half, and the Demon Deacons would eventually stretch the lead to 10 over the next three minutes before the Illini began to chip their way back in the game behind a 6-0 personal run from junior Leron Black, six points — aided by four successful free-throws — for sophomore Kipper Nichols and a late five points from freshman Da’Monte Williams.

Illinois twice cut the lead to three after successful 3-point attempts from junior Aaron Jordan and Williams within the final 2:08 minutes of the game.

Jordan scored a career-high 20 points and added five rebounds in a season-high 28 minutes.

“He’s a good shooter,” said head coach Brad Underwood. “I thought we did a good job of trying to find him.”

Jordan is 12-15 from behind the arc in the past three games, while netting a career-high four 3-pointers in each contest.

“Every time he shoots it, we think it’s going in,” said junior Michael Finke. “If it doesn’t go in, we’re shocked.”

Finke had to sit on the bench due to an early second foul less than seven minutes into the game, and didn’t score until there were 3:15 minutes left in the contest. He finished with two points (1-3 FG, 0-2 3FG) and six rebounds.

“We actually put two or three things in to get him shots and looks against the zone,” Underwood said. “When you game plan for him, and then he’s not in the game, it’s going to impact our team a little bit.”

Black stepped up in the absence of Finke with 10 points (3-12 FG) and seven rebounds in 34 minutes. The 6-foot-7-inch forward was primarily matched-up against 7-foot-1-inch, 280-pound junior Doral Moore.

Nichols chipped in with 14 points (4-11 FG, 2-3 3FG, 4-4 FT) and seven rebounds.

Nichols and Black collectively turned the ball over nine times and recorded five and four, respectively.

Moore scored 12 points (6-7 FG) on several thunderous dunks and brought down six rebounds.

Illinois finished 39 percent from the field and 12-29 on 3-point attempts.

“When a team’s playing us in zone, we really have to move the ball, get the team moving and play inside-out,” Jordan said. “That’s when we got our best looks tonight.”

Wake Forest shot 51 percent and was 8-17 from three-point range.

Illinois out-rebounded Wake Forest 17-4 on the offensive glass and by a 39-25 margin overall, yet committed 19 turnovers compared to the 14 forced on defense.

Fifth-year senior Mark Alstork scored the first eight points of the night for the Illini — and his only eight points of the night (3-8 FG, 2-5 3FG) — on a perfect 3-3 FG start from the field.

He finished with two rebounds, two assists and two turnovers in 27 minutes.

“It would have been very easy down 10 to lay it down, and this team continued to fight and show some grit, and that’s something we can sure build on,” Underwood said. “We’ll continue to try to clean the other stuff up.”

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