Seniors' leadership steadies young Illini

MINNEAPOLIS -- With three freshmen in its starting lineup, Illinois will be prone to some erratic play as it begins its quest for a third straight Big Ten title.

That's where seniors Brian Cook and Sean Harrington come in.

Harrington scored 22 points -- including six 3-pointers -- and Cook had 25 points and 11 rebounds for the 10th-ranked Fighting Illini in a 76-70 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday night in the conference opener.

"Brian and myself have definitely been through the wars in the Big Ten," Harrington said. "We're ready to accept a leadership role."

Illinois' only other game in an opponent's gym this season was a 77-74 loss to Memphis on Dec. 28, and its inexperienced lineup looked rattled at times. Freshmen starters Dee Brown and Deron Williams were ineffective for the Illini (11-1) in front of a boisterous crowd of 13,548 at Williams Arena.

"I wouldn't have thought we could've snuck out of here with a victory with those guys combining for five points and five turnovers," coach Bill Self said. "I thought our whole team played anxiously."

Michael Bauer had 17 points and Rick Rickert added 12 on 5-for-19 shooting for the Golden Gophers (8-4). Minnesota was held to 31 percent shooting (18-for-59) by the Big Ten's best defensive team and lost its ninth straight to Illinois.

"They're good defenders," Bauer said. "They didn't leave us a lot of time to sink the shots. And we just didn't shoot well."

Harrington did.

The conference's leading 3-point shooter and zone-defense killer made three shots from beyond the arc in a 61-second span to put the Illini up 51-46 with 11:16 to go.

Harrington's biggest 3, though, came with 2:23 left. It gave Illinois a 70-67 lead after Moe Hargrow's free throws had tied it seconds earlier. The Gophers didn't get closer.

"Man, Sean just lit it up tonight," guard Luther Head said. "They had a nice crowd here. We had to play through that."

ILLINOIS (11-1)

Harrington 7-12 2-2 22, Cook 6-13 13-17 25, Augustine 3-5 4-4 10, Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 2-5 0-2 5, Head 2-5 1-4 6, Ferguson 0-4 0-0 0, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Powell 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 3-6 1-2 8. Totals 23-50 21-31 76.

MINNESOTA (8-4)

Rickert 5-19 1-3 12, Esselink 1-5 0-0 2, Holman 2-2 2-2 6, Hargrow 0-2 10-10 10, Burleson 2-8 0-0 4, Robinson 1-2 1-2 3, Gaines 0-0 3-4 3, Johnson 1-5 6-7 9, Lawson 0-0 0-0 0, Bauer 5-15 4-4 17, Hagen 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 18-59 29-34 70.

Halftime--Illinois 36-33. 3-Point goals--Illinois 9-22 (Harrington 6-9, Smith 1-1, Brown 1-4, Head 1-4, Ferguson 0-1, Cook 0-3), Minnesota 5-26 (Bauer 3-10, Johnson 1-2, Rickert 1-4, Robinson 0-1, Esselink 0-3, Burleson 0-6). Fouled out--Rickert, Holman, Hagen. Rebounds--Illinois 41 (Cook 11), Minnesota 32 (Bauer 9). Assists--Illinois 20 (Brown, Ferguson 5), Minnesota 10 (Rickert, Hargrow 4). Total fouls--Illinois 24, Minnesota 23. A--13,548.