Posted on 12/09/2004 5:45:16 AM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
No. 1 Illinois Tops Oregon, 83-66
By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer
CHICAGO - Luther Head had 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting and all five starters reached double figures, leading top-ranked Illinois to an 83-66 rout of Oregon at the United Center on Saturday. Deron Williams added 17 and seven assists, Dee Brown had 13 points and James Augustine had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Roger Powell Jr. finished with 12 points despite spending most of the first half on the bench with foul trouble.
Bryce Taylor had 19 to lead Oregon (4-1), which lost for the first time this year.
This is the third time Illinois (9-0) has been ranked No. 1, but it's never been able to stay on top for more than a week. The Illini won their three games this week, though, and did so in convincing fashion.
The Illini led the Ducks from the opening tip, and Oregon couldn't get within double-digits the last 25 minutes of the game. Illinois shot a blistering 58 percent and led by as much as 21 in the second half. The Illini had assists on 20 of their 29 baskets, and were 19-of-22 from the free throw line, not missing one until the second half.
Oregon had final exams this week and hadn't played since last Saturday. But the Illini might have been too much for the Ducks even in a regular week — especially with the game at the United Center.
Though Chicago is 2 1/2 hours north of Illinois' campus in Champaign, the United Center may as well be considered a campus extension. Illinois has won 11 straight here, and is 24-6 at the United Center since it opened during the 1994-95 season.
The game was sold out for weeks, and the building was an ocean of orange. When the Illini took the floor before the game, the roar of applause rivaled the reception Michael Jordan got in his farewell appearance here almost two years ago.
Illinois didn't give Oregon a chance to settle in, racing out to a 12-2 lead about 3 minutes into the game and holding the Ducks to one basket. Taylor finally stopped the spurt with a jumper, starting a run that pulled the Ducks within 15-11 with 12:57 left in the first half.
But that was the closest the Ducks would get the rest of the afternoon. Illinois is just too good and too deep, playing with such precision it's almost numbing. Even with Powell spending most of the first half on the bench because of foul trouble, the Ducks couldn't make a move.
Head started and finished a 15-7 run with 3-pointers, giving Illinois a 30-18 lead with 8:33 left in the first half. Illinois went the next 3:18 without a field goal, allowing Oregon to get within single digits again on Mitch Platt's layup with 5:41 left.
But the Illini closed the half with an 11-7 run, capped by Head's alley-oop from Brown, and took a 43-29 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Illinois put the game out of reach with an 8-4 run to start the second half, highlighted by a monster dunk by Powell that brought the Illini bench to its feet.
yep
was just watching the replay in the chow hall....
glad to see the little bit I know about college basketball has paid off :)
...Glad to see you'll be coming home soon, Mike.
That's why mascot iconography depicts indian warriors, not blackjack dealers, phony-baloney new-age dreamcatcher peddlers, or limp-wristed activist bottom-feeders.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.