Feb. 19, 2000

Box Score

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EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - As time wound down in the first half of Illinois' 63-30 win over Northwestern Saturday, the question for a while was not who was going to win the game but whether the Wildcats would ever score.

Illinois scored the game's first 23 points as Northwestern went the first 15:13 of the game without a single point, going 0-for-11 and committing 15 turnovers.

When Aaron Jennings scored on a driving layup and converted a free throw with 4:47 left in the half, the mostly orange-and-blue-clad capacity crowd let out its most enthusiastic roar of the night.

But by then, the game was decided. Illinois led 30-6 at halftime and never led by fewer than 19 in the second half of its sixth straight Big Ten victory.

"For the first day in about three-and-a-half weeks, including practices and games, we took a major step back," said Northwestern coach Kevin O'Neill. "It was about as ugly as it can ever get."

Sergio McClain scored 11 points and Cory Bradford added 10 to lead Illinois (17-7, 9-4), which has its longest conference winning streak since winning seven straight during the 1997-98 season.

"I'm proud of what this group has done," said Illinois coach Lon Kruger. "They've kept making progress, they've not been distracted. It speaks well for their desire to keep working hard and to become a good basketball team."

Jennings scored 10 to lead Northwestern (5-20, 0-12).

The Wildcats' six first-half points and two first-half field goals were season lows. The six first-half points also were the fewest scored by any team in a half in the history of 17-year-old Welsh-Ryan Arena.

"We knew we would score," said Jennings. "We didn't think we'd go a whole half without scoring. I know we're a good team."

The Wildcats went 11-for-42 (26 percent) from the floor in the game and committed a season-high 25 turnovers.

"Our guys started off the game with good awareness and good activity, especially on the defensive end," Kruger said. "As the game progressed, the pressure mounted on Northwestern. Our focus was there. We did a good job in a lot of areas."