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No. 7 Illinois Holds Off Michigan
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Illinois' Brian Randle (42) puts up a three point shot in front of Michigan's Jerret Smith (1) in first half college basketball action at the Assembly Hall in Champaign, Il, on Saturday Jan. 14, 2006. (AP Photo/John Dixon)
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Jan. 14, 2006
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Dee Brown scored 26 points and James Augustine added 23 and No. 7 Illinois withstood a second-half charge from Michigan to beat the Wolverines for the 11th straight time, 79-74 on Saturday.
The win was Illinois' 31st in a row at the Assembly Hall, tying the school record set between Jan. 15, 1984 and Jan. 4, 1986.
Michigan (11-3, 1-2 Big Ten) hasn't beaten the Illini (16-1, 2-1) since a 95-91 double overtime victory on Jan. 16, 2000.
After Michigan's 10-0 run gave it a 70-69 lead on Dion Harris' two free throws with 4:01 left, Augustine put the Illini back into the lead with two free throws. His layup 56 seconds later gave the Illini a 73-70 lead and they outscored the Wolverines 6-4 down the stretch.
Brown hit four straight 3-pointers that built a 53-51 Illinois lead to 69-60 before Daniel Horton scored eight straight points to bring the Wolverines within one before Harris' free throws gave them their short-lived lead.
Horton scored 19 points and Courtney Sims added 16 for Michigan, which led 16-12 in the first half before the Illini went on a 22-6 on the way to a 39-28 halftime lead.
Michigan started chipping away and cut its deficit to 50-45 on Lester Abram's long 3-pointer with 12:59 left. Then Brent Petway, playing in place of Graham Brown who was on the bench in foul trouble, scored six straight points that cut the Illinois lead to 53-51.
Brown answered with the first of four straight 3-pointers and the Illini scored 16 of the next 24 points to take the 69-60 lead.
The Illini, playing their first game since their loss at Iowa a week ago, came out sluggish on offense again and watched the Wolverines take their four-point lead after Sims backed Pruitt into the lane and got a three-point play with 10:40 to go in the first half.
But Augustine's dunk and a 3-pointer by Rich McBride with 8:55 to go ignited the 22-6 run. Then Brian Randle slammed in a rebound of a miss by Brown to give Illinois the 11-point halftime lead.
