Box Score Jan. 22, 2000
Postgame Audio
Illinois Head Coach Lon
Penn State Head Coach Jerry Dunn and guard Joe Crispin
Box Score
By RICK GANO
AP Sports Writer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Freshman Brian Cook filled in just fine for the
injured Marcus Griffin, scoring 20 points in his first collegiate start
Saturday night as Illinois beat Penn State 87-76 to snap a three-game losing
streak.
Penn State (11-6, 3-3 in the Big Ten) got 31 points from Joe Crispin,
matching a career high, and his shooting helped the Nittany Lions cut a
17-point deficit to six with 2:23 left before the Illini shut off the rally.
Cory Bradford had a key followup and Cook dropped in a basket and made two
free throws in the final 1:23 for Illinois (10-6, 2-3).
Frank Williams, who lost his starting job two games ago because of
inconsistent play, added 16 points for Illinois as did Bradford.
Jarrett Stephens, the Big Ten's leading rebounder and second leading scorer,
finished with eight boards and 10 points, below his averages of 11.6 and 18.9.
He was mourning the death of his cousin in an auto accident, with the funeral
set Monday.
With Stephens in the middle, the Illini needed a big effort from Cook, who
made all five of his first-half field goal attempts and finished 9-of-15.
Griffin, the Illini's leading rebounder and second leading scorer, could
miss as much as six weeks after tearing cartilage in his left knee during a
Friday practice. He is scheduled for surgery Monday.
Illinois led 43-32 at the half and went ahead 49-32 early in the second.
They were up 71-54 with nine minute left when Crispin nearly took over the
game.
He had a pair of 3-pointers and four free throws in a 12-3 run that nearly
brought the Nittany Lions back.
