POSTGAME NOTES
#24 Minnesota (17-3, 5-3) 59, #20 Illinois (17-3, 5-2) 36
January 29, 2009
Williams Arena Minneapolis, Minn.
Attendance: 14,625
Team Notes:
Tubby Smith is now 37-17 as the head coach at Minnesota, and 424-162 for his career.
Smith is 2-3 against Illinois.
Smith is 31-22 all-time against teams that belong to the Big Ten Conference.
Tonight's crowd was a sellout at 14,625. It was the fourth time this year that there was a sellout at Williams Arena.
Minnesota snapped a 20-game losing streak to Illinois that dated back to Feb. 3, 1999. The Golden Gophers trail the all-time series to Illinois 58-104.
Minnesota limited Illinois to a 29.4 shooting percentage (15-for-51). That percentage was the lowest by a Golden Gopher opponent this year. It was also Illinois' lowest shooting percentage of the year. The Illini's previous lowest percentage this year was 36.9 against Vanderbilt on Jan. 20, 2008.
Minnesota outrebounded Illinois 44 to 29 on the night. The +15 rebounding margin was the Golden Gophers' second highest of the season.
Illinois' 16 first half points were the second-lowest total allowed by Tubby Smith at Minnesota (15 by Nicholls State, 12/28/07)
Minnesota is 9-0 this season when Lawrence Westbrook leads the team in scoring.
Illinois' point total of 36 is the lowest by a Golden Gopher opponent since Minnesota held Nicholls State to a 32 points on Dec. 28, 2007.
Illinois' total of 36 is the lowest by a conference opponent against Minnesota since the 1950-51 season. The Golden Gophers held Indiana to 32 points on Jan. 27, 1951.
Minnesota held Illinois to 36 points on the night. It was the lowest point total by the Illini since they scored 34 at Purdue on January 30, 1985.
Minnesota's 23-point margin of victory was the most in a Big Ten Conference game since it defeated Penn State by 24 points 94-70 on Jan. 30, 2002.
Minnesota's 23-point victory over Illinois was the Illini's largest margin of defeat in conference play since Jan. 26, 2002 when Illinois lost at No. 9 Indiana 88-57.
Illinois' 23-point margin of defeat was also the largest of the Bruce Weber era. The previous high was a 20-point loss (76-56) at Wisconsin on Jan. 24, 2004.
Minnesota's 23-point was it highest victory margin over a ranked team in school history. The Golden Gophers previous largest margin of victory over a ranked team was 21 points against No. 9 Purdue by the score 81-60 on Jan. 9, 1993.
Individual Player Notes:
Lawrence Westbrook scored a game-high 16 points on the night. It was the 18th time this year he has reached double-figures, and the 36th time in his career. Westbrook has reached double-figures in 18 of 20 games this year.
Minnesota is 15-3 this season when Westbrook scores in double-figures.
It is the 11th straight game Westbrook has scored in double-figures. He has scored in double-figures in every Big Ten game.
Westbrook was 6-for-9 from the floor, and went 3-for-4 from three-point land. It was the sixth time he has hit three or more three-points in a game.
Ralph Sampson III had 10 point on the night for his sixth double-figure scoring output of the year.
Ralph Sampson III had a career-high eight made free throws on the night.
Ralph Sampson III tied a career-high with three assists.
Damian Johnson had two blocks on the night. He has blocks in 17 of his 18 games this year. Johnson has had two blocks or more in 14 games this year.
