Illini Hold Off Golden Gophers With New Lineup
Illinois has been struggling lately and coach Bruce Weber tried to correct that with a new lineup. Though it didn't seem to give the Illini much of an edge, it did launch them into a victory over Minnesota.
Mike Davis had 17 points and nine rebounds and Demetri McCamey scored 17 points in a surprise role off the bench to lead Illinois to a 71-62 victory over Minnesota on Thursday night.
D.J. Richardson added 11 points for the Illini (16-8, 6-5 Big Ten), who outscored Minnesota 23-2 off the bench to snap a four-game road losing streak.
Trevor Mbakwe had 17 points and 16 rebounds and Ralph Sampson III added 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for the Golden Gophers (16-8, 5-7). Minnesota has lost four straight games, including two at home that have seriously hurt their NCAA tournament resume.
Blake Hoffarber had 15 points, but Minnesota's leading scorer made just 5 of 13 shots and was harassed all night by a determined Illinois defense.
As the clock ticked down, a vocal contingent of Illini fans chanted, "This is our house!"
Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
