Feb. 28, 2006

Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - James Augustine had 16 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven assists to lead No. 10 Illinois over Minnesota 71-65 Tuesday night as the Illini stayed in the race for the Big Ten title.

Dee Brown scored 14 points and Rich McBride had 12 for Illinois (24-5, 10-5), which trails Ohio State by just a half game for the conference lead.

Vincent Grier scored 19 points and Moe Hargrow added 17 in their final home game for the Golden Gophers (14-12, 5-10), who have lost 15 straight to Illinois dating back to 1999. Spencer Tollackson and Adam Boone had 10 points each.

Illinois finishes the Big Ten regular season at Michigan State on Saturday and the Gophers are at Northwestern.

The game was tied five times in the first 5 minutes of the second half, before Illinois went on a run. The Illini scored 10 straight points to take a 53-45 lead with 12:02 left.

The Gophers were held scoreless for nearly five minutes and looked out of it until a block by Zach Puchtel on Shaun Pruitt's dunk attempt sparked Minnesota. J'son Stamper hit a jumper and Boone hit a 3-pointer to bring the Gophers within 60-56 with 4:23 left.

But Jamar Smith hit a 3 for Illinois at 2:56 to make it 63-56 and Minnesota couldn't get closer than four points the rest of the way.

Grier scored nine points in the first 10 minutes of the game, as Minnesota got out to a 22-14 lead. Illinois scored eight straight over the next two minutes to tie it at 22.

The Illini closed the first half with an 11-3 run, capped by Augustine's fast-break dunk, to take a 37-34 lead into the break.