2/26- #20 Illini Use Late Run To Skin Gophers

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Mike Davis scored 14 points and Trent Meacham added 13 to lead No. 20 Illinois to a 52-41 victory over Minnesota on Thursday night. The Illini (23-6, 11-5 Big Ten) lost 59-36 at Minnesota in January. Demitri McCamey added 10 points for Illinois, which took the lead for good and closed the game with a 14-2 second-half run. Davis, who had 11 rebounds for his eighth double-double, had six points and six rebounds in the big run that lasted just under 10 minutes. The Illini shot 42 percent from the field for the game, including 52.6 percent in the second half. Damian Johnson had 18 points for the Gophers (20-8, 8-8), 14 in the first half. While Illinois was finding its shooting touch, the Gophers lost what little they had in the second half when Johnson went 2-for-7 from the field. Minnesota shot 34.4 percent in the first half, including going 0-for-9 from 3-point range. But it got worse in the second half when the Gophers shot 28.6 percent. During one stretch, the Golden Gophers managed just one field goal over 9 minutes. They didnt score over the games final 6:21. Illinois held Lawrence Westbrook, Minnesotas leading scorer, to four points, 8.5 below his average. The Illini used a 9-0 run to take a 30-23 lead just under 2 minutes into the second half. The Gophers pulled within 38-37 with just under 11 minutes left on a steal and layup by Blake Hoffarber. The Gophers took the lead at 39-38 on a basket by Travis Busch, but missed a chance to put some space between themselves and the Illini on consecutive misses by the suddenly cold Johnson, a jumper that clanked off the rim and another off the glass. Davis made two baskets, the second a baseline jumper that gave Illinois a 42-39 lead with just over 8 minutes to play. Minnesotas Ralph Sampson cut the lead to one, but Illinois hit two 3s -- one by McCamey and another by Meacham -- to cap a 10-2 run that made it 48-41 with 4:09 to play.