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Trent Frazier scored 25 points Saturday afternoon at State Farm Center to lead Illinois past road-weary East Tennessee State 73-55.

Giorgi Bezhanishvili scored 15 points for Illinois (4-7), and Kipper Nichols added 14. Aaron Jordan had a game-high 10 rebounds and scored six points.

Starting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu and backup guard Alan Griffin dressed but didn’t play because they were late to the morning shootaround, team officials said.

ETSU (8-4) was led by Daivien Williamson’s 19 points. Patrick Good scored 11 points and Jeromy Rodriguez grabbed 7 rebounds for the Buccaneers.

The Bucs had travel problems. After being forced to fly to Chicago’s Midway Airport on Friday night because central Illinois was covered with heavy fog, their bags didn’t make the trip. To top things off, ETSU’s bus broke down on its way from Chicago to Champaign.

“It was a little bizarre,” Bucs coach Steve Forbes said. “We got in to Chicago about 9:30 or 10 last night. No bags. Got on the bus, the bus broke down. Had to get a new bus.”

The Illini dominated the first half, going on a 14-0 run at one point and leading 43-18 at the break. Frazier hit five 3-pointers before halftime to lead the charge.

“I liked today,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “We played well from top to bottom, at both ends of the court.”

Illinois shot 43 percent (26-60) from the field, while ETSU shot 35 percent (18-52). The Illini hit 10 of 25 3-pointers, the Bucs 6 of 22.

“I give all the credit to Illinois,” Forbes said. “They took us out of our offense early and we struggled to deal with it the whole game. They deny an offense like no other team.”

The Bucs adjusted to the Illini’s swarming man-to-man defense in the second half and slowly started to crawl back into the game, outscoring Illinois 37-30 after halftime. But 3-pointers by Da’Monte Williams. Frazier and Jordan kept Illinois’ lead intact.

“That first half was the best we’ve played all year,” Underwood said.

Illinois won consecutive games for the first time this season against their difficult nonconference schedule.

“Their record is not indicative of who they are as a team,” Forbes said. “They’ve played a tough schedule, no puffy games at all.”

East Tennessee State didn’t get to its hotel in Champaign until after 3 a.m. Saturday. The Bucs’ luggage didn’t arrive until shortly before the start of the game, causing the coaching staff to resort to wearing sweatpants and warm-up jackets instead of the usual suit and tie.

“We’re going to bus home,” Forbes said. “I’m not getting back on that plane again.”

Illinois has another week off before its next game, the Braggin’ Rights showdown against Missouri in St. Louis.