Illini Men Top Rutgers To Close Regular Season

The Illini men's basketball team beat Rutgers 75-62 yesterday in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Michael Finke scored 19 points in his first full game since suffering a concussion during practice on February 10th. 

Photo Credit: Rob McColley/for Illinois Public Media

Finke said it was the concussion treatment protocol, rather than the actual injury, that kept him inactive for so long.

"I felt good for five or six days before I was able to play," Finke said. "Even if I thought I felt a hundred percent, when I did the test, I didn't pass them exactly how I'm supposed to, so you've got to make sure you're back a hundred percent and not take any risk with it."

Aaron Jordan scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds for Illinois. Neither Finke nor Jordan started the game.

Point guards Trent Frazier and Te'Jon Lucas both played through foul trouble, each finishing the game with four. 

Coach Brad Underwood said Lucas was the player of the game for Illinois.

"I thought his effort and energy was absolutely dynamite," Underwood said. "We're not the most vocal team, and his energy carried us early, then it became contagious."

Da'Monte Williams, who grabbed eight rebounds from the wing position, would have taken over at the point if Frazier and Lucas had fouled out.

That's because Illini guard Mark Smith was sick. Smith watched the game from the Illinois locker room, suffering from an illness which an Illini team spokesman declined to characterize.

Corey Sanders led Rutgers in points with 18, rebounds with six, and assists with four.

Rutgers finishes the Big Ten's regular season schedule at 3-15, and Illinois 4-14, with two of those wins coming at the expense of the Scarlet Knights.

The two teams will return to action Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in New York. Number 13 seed Illinois will face the 12th-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes at 4:30 CT, while number 14 seed Rutgers squares off against 11th-seeded Minnesota in the nightcap.