Jan. 25, 2006

Final Stats

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Dee Brown scored 17 points and freshman Jamar Smith had 16 as No. 8 Illinois extended its home winning streak to a school-record 32 games with a 77-53 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night.

With Brown and Smith hitting from the outside, James Augustine, Shaun Pruitt and Brian Randle were able to get open shots inside and combined for 30 points as the Illini (18-2, 4-2 Big Ten) worked relentlessly to push the ball down low whenever possible.

The win ties Illinois with No. 7 Gonzaga for second-longest home streak in the country. Southern Illinois has won 33 straight at home.

Illinois, which defeated the Golden Gophers (9-8, 0-6) for the 14th straight time, began its streak on Jan. 17, 2004, with an 88-82 win over Iowa. But perhaps more remarkably, the Illini have lost only twice in their last 79 home games going back to January 2000.

Maurice Hargrow and Vincent Grier each had 14 points for Minnesota, while J'son Stamper added 10.

The Gophers had no answer for Illinois' inside-outside game in the second half.

Augustine scored 13 points, Randle added 10 despite sitting for most of the first half in foul trouble and Pruitt had seven. The strategy got the Golden Gophers into foul trouble early in the second half and a 15-2 run gave the Illini a 68-48 lead with 5:22 to go.

Brown went inside for three layups and a jumper, while going 3-of-6 from long range. Smith scored 15 points on 3-pointers and added a free throw.

Minnesota kept the game close for most of the first half, but Marcus Arnold's layup finished off a 13-5 run that pushed the Illini's lead to 39-29 with 51 seconds left. The Gophers closed to 41-37 on two free throws by Stamper, but Brown's 3-pointer started an 8-1 run and Minnesota never got closer than six points again.