Monday, February 3, 1997

Patterson, Indiana almost come back for win

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Kiwane Garris scored 28 points, including seven free throws in the final minute, as Illinois survived a big Indiana comeback and beat the 17th-ranked Hoosiers 78-74 Sunday.

Indiana (17-6, 4-5 Big Ten) trailed 46-34 early in the second half but fought back to take the lead. The Hoosiers led for the final time with seven minutes to go, but Kevin Turner's 3-pointer put the Illini (15-6, 5-4) in front for good at 66-65. Indiana then fell behind by seven only to close within a point in the final minute.

Garris, who moved past Eddie Johnson into second place on the Illini scoring list with 1,706, made two free throws to give Illinois a 73-66 lead with 59 seconds remaining. Andrae Patterson's hook and Neil Reed's 3-pointer pulled the Hoosiers to 73-71 with 47 seconds to go, but Garris made one of two from the line.

Reed's two free throws with 15 seconds left closed it to 74-73. One second later, Garris sank two free throws to keep Illinois safely ahead.

A.J. Guyton made one free throw for Indiana, and Garris made two more free throws with four seconds remaining.

Chris Gandy added 21 points and Matt Heldman had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Illini, who won at Indiana's Assembly Hall for the first time in seven years.

Patterson led Indiana with 17 points, while Reed added 16 and Charlie Miller 14.

Indiana appeared to take control with a streak of 15 points early in the first half.

Illinois led 10-4 lead before a 3-point basket by Reed and a three-point play by Jason Collier tied the game. Guyton stole the ball and fed Collier on a fast break to give the Hoosiers the lead. Indiana's biggest lead was 19-10 before two free throws by Gandy gave Illinois its first points in a span of 5:30.

Garris got his first basket on a 3-pointer with 8:20 to go. Minutes later, two more baskets by Garris started a 19-8 Illinois streak, and 3-pointers by Garris and Heldman in the final minute put the Illini ahead 37-33 at the half.

Indiana managed only a free throw by Patterson in the first four minutes of the second half.

ILLINOIS (15-6) - Gee 1-4 1-2 3, Gandy 9-13 3-4 21, Heldman 4-6 0-0 12, Garris 8-17 10-12 28, Turner 2-5 0-0 5, Chukwudebe 1-4 1-2 3, Notree 2-5 0-0 4, Johnson 1-1 0-0 2, Boline 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-55 15-20 78.

INDIANA (17-6) - Miller 5-9 3-5 14, Eggers 0-1 0-0 0, Patterson 5-13 7-11 17, Reed 4-8 4-4 16, Guyton 4-10 2-4 11, Collier 5-8 1-3 11, Mujezinovic 0-0 1-2 1, Lewis 1-2 0-0 2, Jimenez 0-1 0-0 0, Richardson 0-1 0-0 0, Mandeville 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 25-54 18-29 74.

Halftime-Illinois 37, Indiana 33. 3-Point goals-Illinois 7-12 (Heldman 4-5, Garris 2-3, Turner 1-4), Indiana 6-19 (Reed 4-6, Miller 1-4, Guyton 1-5, Eggers 0-1, Lewis 0-1, Patterson 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Illinois 37 (Heldman 11), Indiana 31 (Miller 7). Assists-Illinois 18 (Garris 7), Indiana 18 (Guyton 6). Total fouls-Illinois 22, Indiana 20. A-17,341.