March 4, 2001

By DOUG FEINBERG
AP MegaSports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS - Fifth-ranked Illinois looks to win its second Big Ten title in four years when the Illini visit Minnesota on Sunday.

Illinois (22-6, 12-3), which won the Big Ten in 1998, is a half-game behind Michigan State, but will earn the top spot in next week's conference tournament with a victory. The Illini hold the tiebreaker because of a 77-66 victory over the Spartans on Feb. 6.

Coach Bill Self would become the sixth Big Ten coach and the first in 22 years to win the conference crown in his first season at the helm. Minnesota's Bill Musselman is the only coach to win an outright title in his first season in 1972.

The Illini are coming off an 89-63 rout of Iowa on Feb. 24. With the win, 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.

A pair of junior reserves starred in the victory. Lucas Johnson had 16 points and eight rebounds, while Damir 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."

The Golden Gophers (17-11, 5-10), who are currently ninth in the league, are coming off their worst defeat of the season, an 89-53 loss to Indiana on Wednesday. Dusty Rychart was the only starter in double figures with 10 points. Kerwin Fleming came off the bench to score 17.

"We started the game on our heels and 20 minutes into the game, we were still on our heels," Gophers coach Dan Monson said. "We had no answers for them."

Illinois leads the all-time series 89-57, including two victories last season. Minnesota holds an edge at home, winning 40 of the 73 meetings.