Illini Take Care of Gophers at Home
Illinios moved to 23-6 on the year with a win against Minnesota last night. It was a typical Big Ten battle, with tough defense and a lot of physical play. The 51-42 win is not pretty to most, but to teams like the Illini wins don’t come any more gorgeous.
Bruce Weber was fed up with the questions about ugly wins after the game. “I’m sick of hearing all the jokes,” he yelled. “We guard, we prepare, we play our butts off in hostile environments.” Assembly Hall was anything but hostile last night helping Illinois to yet another home win.
Mike Davis had another double-double, Meacham had 13, and McCamey had 10, but it was the defense that won the day. After Minnesota came back for a one point lead around midway through the second half they were held to one point the rest of the way and none over the last six-plus minutes. That’s an unreal defensive stretch.
That brand of defense is what makes Illinois so dangerous in the postseason. Even when the offense is terrible, the defense can keep the team in the game and even shut it down to the point where it seems to convince the offense to mount a comeback. Not to mention the Chester Frazier factor. He was up to his old tricks again, holding Minnesota’s leading scorer Lawrence Westbrook to just four points.
Now it’s on to a giant match-up with league leader Michigan State on Sunday. After a six point loss in East Lansing earlier this season, the Illini can make up for it and draw within a half game of the Sparties with a win. If Illinois can keep it even on the glass, I think Frazier can keep Kalin Lucas down enough to get the win.
The win last night, paired with Michigan’s upset of Purdue, moves Illinois back into second place above the Boilermakers by a half game.
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