Box Score
Illini Wrap, audio version
Illini Wrap, video version
Audio from post-game media session and from Senior Day introductions
Video from post-game media session and from Senior Day introductions
By JOHN KELLY
Associated Press Writer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Only one team has manhandled Illinois this season:
Iowa. The Illini returned the favor Saturday.
Marcus Griffin scored 19 points and reserve forwards Lucas Johnson and Damir
Krupalija flirted with double-doubles as third-ranked Illinois beat Iowa 89-63.
The Illini mixed the thrills of Senior Day festivities with a tinge of
anger. Illinois was coming off a 63-61 loss at Ohio State two days ago and
players wanted revenge for their worst game this season, a 78-62 whipping in
Iowa City on Jan. 11.
"You could watch the game and tell how bad we wanted it, how bad we wanted
to get them back," said Cory Bradford, who scored 15. "Friday, that's all we
talked about: Remember Iowa."
Illinois coach Bill Self fueled that with a film session, highlighting the
Hawkeyes outrebounding them 47-27 and winning scuffle after scuffle for loose
balls back in January.
"We responded," Bradford said.
The win left Illinois (22-6, 12-3 Big Ten) needing to win its final
regular-season game next Sunday at Minnesota, or hope for a loss by No. 5
Michigan State, to earn at least a share of the conference championship. The
Spartans beat Penn State on Saturday to remain a half-game behind the Illini.
Illinois finished unbeaten at home for the first time since 1988-89, which
was also the last time the Illini reached the Final Four. The Illini have won
18 straight at the Assembly Hall.
While they honored four seniors before the game, it was a pair of junior
reserves who shined. Johnson had 16 points and eight rebounds. Krupalija added
13 points and nine rebounds.
"The biggest thing going for us is our bench is ego-less," Self said.
"Our bench does not think they should start. You don't always have that, and
that's the reason our chemistry is so good."
Iowa (18-9, 7-7) is reeling, winning just two of seven since losing leading
scorer Luke Recker with a broken knee on Jan. 27.
The Hawkeyes got 19 points from Dean Oliver and 14 from Recker's
replacement, freshman Brody Boyd. But they never made it a contest.
Oliver and Boyd each made 3-pointers early in what looked to become a
defenseless shootout. A red-faced Self called timeout with Iowa down 16-14 and
demanded some defense. He got it.
Seven players scored during a 17-0 run that put Illinois ahead 33-14 with
just under eight minutes remaining in the first half. And the Illini did not
let up, going ahead 49-22 by halftime.
"Our focus was to shut down everybody," said Griffin, a senior playing his
last home game. "Don't let anybody get anything. We weren't going to let Iowa
come in here and ruin it for us."
The Illini shut out the Hawkeyes for another five minutes early in the
second half. Sergio McClain finished the 14-0 run with a breakaway dunk and a
layup to put Illinois up 64-27 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.
"Two things showed up here tonight - their defense and our inability to
knock down shots and take the right kind of shots," said Iowa coach Steve
Alford. "Our inexperience showed."
Illinois stretched the lead to as much as 36 points as Self gave two
seniors, Nate Mast and Joe Cross, more minutes than they played all season.
