Illinois Proves It’s Worthy

Illinois apparently is going to spend a little longer at No. 1 this time.

Luther Head had 23 points as all five starters scored in double figures, leading the top-ranked Fighting Illini to an 83-66 rout of Oregon on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago.

Deron Williams had 17 points 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 because of foul trouble.

“If you have any type of slippage whatsoever, they really make you pay,” Oregon Coach Ernie Kent said. “Every ranking they’ve gotten, they deserve. They’ve got a chance to have a special year.”

This is the third time Illinois (9-0) has been ranked No. 1, but it has never been able to stay on top for more than a week. But the Illini won three games in convincing fashion and should maintain the top spot.

The Illini led the Ducks from start to finish. Illinois shot a blistering 58% from the field 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 (4-1) 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.

Although 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 in a row at the arena and is 24-6 at the United Center since it opened during the 1994-95 season.

No. 2 Kansas 96, Louisiana Lafayette 51 -- The Jayhawks (6-0) rolled up a 54-22 lead in their sixth consecutive home game. The Ragin’ Cajuns (3-4) never got closer than 35 points after the first few minutes of the second half.

No. 3 Georgia Tech 64, Air Force 42 -- The Yellow Jackets (6-0), who try to run at every opportunity, were forced into a tempo that was out of character.

Georgia Tech attempted a season-low 40 shots and failed to make a three-point basket for the first time since 1987. But it managed to dominate at home, leading at halftime, 32-12, and holding the Falcons (6-3) to under 28% shooting (15 of 54).

No. 4 Syracuse 86, Binghamton 56 -- The Orange (8-1) took command early in the second half at Syracuse, N.Y., and defeated the Bearcats (2-5) for the fourth consecutive time since they moved to Division I.

No. 10 Kentucky 73, Indiana 58 -- Junior guard Bracey Wright, the Hoosiers’ leading scorer, kept them in the game at Louisville, Ky., with six three-point baskets and 31 points, but the Wildcats (6-1) extended their winning streak in the annual series to five. In all, Kentucky has beaten Indiana (2-4) in 12 of the last 14 meetings.

No. 11 Pittsburgh 84, Penn State 71 -- The Panthers defeated the Nittany Lions (5-4) for a fourth consecutive time in an intrastate series that has continued despite an interruption in their football rivalry. But this one wasn’t as one-sided as the previous three, when Pittsburgh won by an average of 28 points. The Panthers held off flurries in each half at State College to start 7-0 for the third season in a row.

No. 12 North Carolina State 94, Liberty 60 -- The Wolfpack (7-0) routed the Flames at Raleigh, N.C., to match their best start under ninth-year Coach Herb Sendek. Julius Hodge had 27 points and finished an assist and a rebound short of the second triple-double of his career. He scored in double figures for the 23rd consecutive game.

No. 13 Louisville 74, Florida 70 -- Juan Palacios made two free throws for the Cardinals (5-1) with five seconds left at Gainesville, Fla., to secure the victory over the Gators (5-2). Rick Pitino improved to 20-1 against former assistant coaches and players and extended his record to 6-0 against Billy Donovan.

No. 15 Arizona 67, Utah 62 -- Chris Rodgers made four free throws in the final 25.2 seconds at Tucson, including two with 2.7 seconds to go to secure the victory for the Wildcats (6-2). The victory was the 1,000th for Lute Olson as a head coach in 47 years at the high school, junior college and major college levels.

Andrew Bogut, Utah’s 7-foot Australian center, had 20 points and 10 rebounds but was scoreless after his rebound basket gave the Utes (5-3) a 56-51 lead with 5:41 left.

No. 18 Alabama 75, Temple 71 -- The Crimson Tide (8-1) made six of 10 free throws in the last 62 seconds at Tuscaloosa, Ala. They led by 12 points early in the second half, but the Owls (3-4) made seven three-point baskets in the first 13 minutes after the break.

No. 20 Michigan State 78, Stanford 53 -- The Spartans (5-2) took control with an 18-4 run midway through the first half and coasted to victory at Auburn Hills, Mich. Stanford’s Dan Grunfeld, who was averaging 19.4 points, was held to six on two-of-eight shooting. The Cardinal (2-4) played for the first time since Nov. 28.

No. 21 George Washington 79, St. Francis, Pa. 65 -- The Colonials (6-1) used a 20-2 run late in the first half to take control at Loretto, Pa. They were playing for the first time since beating ranked opponents Michigan State and Maryland on consecutive days last weekend. The Colonials are in the top 25 for the first time since 1998.

No. 22 Mississippi State 83, Arkansas Little Rock 53 -- Lawrence Roberts scored the first 10 points, then keyed a 21-0 run late in the first half that helped the Bulldogs (7-2) take control against the Trojans at Starkville, Miss.

Marquette 63, No. 24 Wisconsin 54 -- Travis Diener scored 29 points despite aggravating his sprained ankle in the first half and led the Golden Eagles past the Badgers (5-2) at Milwaukee.

Diener scored 10 points in Marquette’s game-opening 12-1 run and the Golden Eagles (9-0) never trailed in beating their instate rival for the second time in six tries under Coach Tom Crean.

No. 25 Gonzaga 75, St. Louis 45 -- Leading scorer Ronny Turiaf was slowed because of a sprained ankle and scored only two points -- 21 below his season average -- but his teammates made up for it. Four players scored in double figures as the Bulldogs (7-1) routed the Billikens (1-6) at Spokane, Wash.

OTHER GAMES

Hofstra matched its best start to a season since moving to Division I in 1973 with a 78-68 victory over St. John’s at Hempstead, N.Y. The Pride (6-0) also won its first six games in 1982-83. The Red Storm (3-4) still leads the series between the Long Island schools, 21-3.... Levi Stukes scored 31 points, including a go-ahead three-point basket with 1:50 left in overtime that carried Georgia (3-3) to a 76-74 victory over Oregon State (4-3) at Atlanta.... Washington State (4-3) won the battle of the Cougars at Salt Lake City, beating Brigham Young, 49-46. BYU played the home game at the Delta Center, about 45 miles from its campus in Provo, Utah.