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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- Even without a big game from their
best player, the Illinois Fighting Illini were still too much for
Pennsylvania's Quakers on Friday.
Freshman guard Frank Williams compensated for a poor outing by
Cory Bradford with a season-high 21 points, sending Illinois past
the outmanned Quakers 68-58 in the first round of the NCAA
tournament's East Regional.
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Illinois continues to be one of the most improved teams in the
tournament. The Illini were billed to be a Final Four team too early in the
season, before Brian Cook and Frank Williams had a chance to mature.
They've grown up and the Illini had the most impressive victory of the
early session Friday. The Illini have more options offensively that make
them a threat to get past either Florida or Butler.
Illinois was able to set the tempo and beat Penn in transition.
Fast-break points were plentiful for the Illini.
If Illinois gets a chance to meet Duke deeper into the tournament,
the Illini will have revenge on their mind after losing to the Blue Devils
in the final seconds earlier this season.
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Williams was 6-for-9 from the field on a day when Bradford,
averaging 15.3 points, missed his first six shots and did not score
until 25 minutes into the contest. He wound up with five points on
2-for-9 field-goal shooting.
Marcus Griffin added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Lucas Johnson
had 10 points as fourth-seeded Illinois (22-9) ended Pennsylvania's
16-game winning streak.
The Fighting Illini forced 13 turnovers, converted them into 18
points and harassed the Ivy League champions into 37-percent
shooting.
Pennsylvania (21-8) trailed for the final 36 minutes but cut its
deficit to one point early in the second half, only to come up
short in its bid for its first NCAA tournament victory since 1994.
Ugonna Onyekwe had 17 points and Matt Langel 11 for the Quakers.
Illinois capitalized on first-half foul trouble by the Quakers'
Michael Jordan, the Ivy League MVP. Jordan was held to eight
points, and his absence in the opening half helped the Fighting
Illini build a lead they never relinquished.
The Quakers went up 6-2 before Illinois turned up the defensive
pressure, forcing four turnovers and converting them into seven
points in a 16-0 run.
The surge put the Illini up by 12, but Pennsylvania's problems
were just beginning. Jordan was assessed his second and third
personals in a two-second span, sending him to the bench with 11:13
left in the half.
|  | | Penn's Geoff Owens blocks a shot by Illinois' Frank Williamson Friday. |
His departure set the stage for Illinois to push its lead as
high as 15 before coach Fran Dunphy put Jordan back on the floor
for selected possessions the rest of the half. The strategy worked,
with Jordan scoring six points as the Quakers closed the half with
a 17-7 run, trimming their deficit to 34-29.
A foul-line jumper by Frank Brown cut the Illini's lead to 38-37
with 17 minutes remaining, but Illinois scored the next six points.
Bradford's first points of the game, on a fast-break layup at the
15-minute mark, made it 44-37.
Illinois pushed its lead as high as 13 in the closing minutes.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Pennsylvania NCAA Team Report
Illinois NCAA Team Report
Chat: NCAA Tourney
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