Illini end two-game losing skid

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Two games isn't much of a losing streak, but it was enough to have No. 18 Illinois sweating a bit.

The pressure is off for now.

Illinois (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) held Purdue without a field goal over the final 6:46 and outscored the Boilermakers 18-6 over that span on the way to a 75-62 victory Wednesday night.

The Illini, who had lost two games on the road and dropped 10 places in the AP Top 25, snapped Purdue's six-game winning streak.

"I'm not going to say the collar was tight, but there was pressure on us to win," Illinois coach Bill Self said.

Brian Cook, the Big Ten's leading scorer at 21 points a game, got off to a slow start but came on strong in the second half to finish with 22 points.

Cook had just two field goals and six points in the first half. He was more assertive in the second half, and so was Illinois.

The Illini worked the ball down low to Cook, who scored his first two baskets of the half on nifty post moves before getting into foul trouble. Cook was called for his fourth foul with 8:24 to go and was forced to the bench.

With Cook out of the game, Purdue (11-4, 3-1) cut a seven-point deficit to one on Melvin Buckley's second 3-pointer of the game.

But things fell apart from there for the Boilermakers.

Dee Brown hit a long jumper and converted a three-point play on a fast break to extend the Illini's lead to 64-56. The Boilermakers never threatened again.

"The played hard and they were (angry) because they got beat two games," Purdue coach Gene Keady said of Illinois. "And that's what the thing is all about, competitiveness."