Illini red hot, then clank, clank!
CHAMPAIGN -- Remember the methods Illinois used to knock off Iowa on Saturday? The Illini remembered, too.
For about 12 minutes.
Feeding off their 11-point win at Iowa, the Illini treated No. 17 Michigan State rudely early Thursday night at Assembly Hall.
They eschewed 3-pointers for good shots from Shaun Pruitt in the paint. They didn't turn over the ball and controlled the boards.
But then came the final 28 minutes -- when Illinois' season-long tendencies reached out and poked Bruce Weber's guys in their shooting eyes.
The Spartans erased a 10-point first-half deficit by halftime and went on to a 59-51 Big Ten victory before far less than the announced sellout crowd of 16,618.
Illinois, which produced 25 points in the first 12 minutes and merited multiple standing ovations, finished with its customary dismal shooting numbers.
The Illini made just 2 of its 15 3-pointers and 9 of its 19 free throws.
"Like most of the season," Weber said, "when you don't shoot the ball well and you don't shoot free throws well, it takes a toll on you."
In this season's case, an unprecedented toll.
Not only did Illinois (12-18, 4-13) ensure it will set the program's single-season record for losses -- only a perfect run to the NCAA title would prevent it -- it clinched a program-worst No. 10 seed in next week's Big Ten tournament.
Pruitt, playing his next-to-last game at home, led the way with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting. But he managed just 1 field-goal attempt in the final 23 minutes.
"I just think our offense was a little out of synch in general," Pruitt said. "We turned the ball over a lot. Besides (the lack of) post touches, it just wasn't good on the perimeter or anything -- something we've been needing to work on all year."
Pruitt did get to the free-throw line nine times, but he couldn't find his recent form and hit just 3.
Meanwhile, Michigan State senior center Drew Naymick unveiled a beautiful jumper nobody knew he owned.
The Spartans quickly erased a 31-31 halftime knot by feeding Naymick -- who has never tried a collegiate 3-pointers -- for a pair of open 17-foot jumpers.
Naymick, who added a clinching 19-footer with 1:46 to go, took advantage of Illinois' tendency to double-team power forward Goran Suton in the post.
"They were just ignoring him," said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. "And rightfully so, because we don't go back there much."
That forced an irked Weber to remove Rodney Alexander and give senior Brian Randle 10 unexpected minutes.
Randle, who dislocated his right shoulder on Feb. 20, contributed 7 points with solid defense. That wasn't the only bright spot for the Illini.
Dominique Keller, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward who averaged 25.1 points and 9.2 rebounds for Lee Junior College in Baytown, Texas, showed up for a three-day recruiting visit.
He apparently enjoyed himself enough to give off vibes that he might accept the scholarship that came open when Brian Carlwell left the team.