Dec. 23, 2000

Box Score

By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas - Darren Kelly scored 21 points and Texas made 11 of 15 free throws over the final three minutes in a 72-64 win over No. 5 Illinois on Saturday.

Maurice Evans had 12 points and Brian Boddicker added 12 as Texas (8-2) won its 18th straight home game.

Brian Cook scored 18 points to lead Illinois (9-3), which was taken to overtime by Missouri on Thursday.

The Illini, who never led, rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half. Cook's three-point play cut Texas' lead to 59-57 with 4:05 to play.

The Illini appeared to have stopped the Longhorns on the other end when Frank Williams forced Kelly into a wild 3-pointer with just five seconds left on the shot clock.

But Kelly drew a foul and swished three consecutive free throws to push the Texas lead back up 62-57. After Williams and Cory Bradford threw up a pair of wild 3-pointers on Illinois' next two possessions, Texas freshman James Thomas put back his own missed layup and hit one of two free throws to make it 65-57 with 2:40 left.

Texas gave Illinois a chance to close the gap in the final minute.

After Sean Harrington hit three foul shots to pull the Illini within five, Texas turned it over with 22 seconds left when Royal Ivey's errant inbounds pass sailed across the court and out of bounds.

But Marcus Griffin missed two layups in traffic and Bradford's 3-pointer bounced off the rim and over the backboard.

Kelly, who missed Texas' first eight games because of academic problems, had been declared eligible earlier in the week. He's averaged 22 points in his two games back, both Texas wins.

Griffin scored 11 points and Bradford had 10 for Illinois. Bradford stretched his NCAA career record for consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer to 76.

Texas led 34-25 at halftime and started the second half with consecutive 3-pointers by Evans and Boddicker before Illinois started chipping away at the lead.