Feb 25, 2003

Final Stats?|? Notes?|? Photo Gallery

By JIM PAUL
Associated Press Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Brian Cook scored 17 points, including nine in a decisive run to start the second half, and No. 18 Illinois beat Indiana 80-54 on Tuesday night, the Hoosiers' seventh loss in 10 games.

The Illini (19-5, 9-4 Big Ten) pulled away from a 39-30 halftime lead with a 25-15 run and led by as many as 28 points with 4:02 to go.

It was their third straight win overall and 16th in a row at Assembly Hall as they pulled into a second-place tie with Wisconsin in the conference. The Illini have won their last three home games by a total of 75 points.

Jeff Newton had 11 points for Indiana (16-10, 6-7).

Illinois opened the second half with a 9-2 run that was capped by Dee Brown's 3-pointer with 16:20 remaining. Indiana closed the gap to 10, but Cook made a layup and a 3-pointer and Brown hit from the outside to put Illinois in control for good.

Roger Powell scored 22 points for Illinois, his second career high in as many games. He scored 20 in Illinois' 73-61 win over Northwestern last Saturday.

George Leach and Tom Coverdale each scored nine points for Indiana, which was 8-of-25 from the field in the second half and shot 37 percent for the game.

Illinois' defense, ranked second in the Big Ten, had nine steals and forced 10 turnovers.

The game was tied three times and the lead changed hands four times before the Illini pulled away with an 8-2 run to close the half. Cook's hook shot from 10 feet made it 39-28 and Indiana's Marshall Strickland scored the final basket of the half.