CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — — Sophie Hart scored 17 points, Amaya Battle added 10 of her 16 points in the second half and No. 22 Minnesota beat Illinois 78-73 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams to clinch a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Minnesota (22-7, 13-5 Big Ten), which lost 75-61 to No. 18 Michigan State last time out, has won 10 of 11 and will be the No. 4 seed in Big Ten Tournament, which begins Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Gophers tied the program’s single-season record for conference wins, previously set in the 1982-83 and ’84-85 seasons.
Berry Wallace hit a 3-pointer before Cearah Parchment drew a charge and then scored in the post to make it 70-all with 1:01 left in the game, but Grace Grocholski, Mara Braun and Tori McKinney combined to go 8 of 8 from the free-throw line from there to seal it.
Braun had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists, Finau Tonga also scored 11 points and McKinney added 10.
Wallace led Illinois (19-10, 9-9) with 15 points while Maddie Webber and Aaliyah Guyton each scored 14. Parchment and Destiny Jackson added 13 points apiece.
Hart scored six points in a 14-3 first-quarter run that made it 16-9 with 3:24 left in the period and Minnesota never again trailed.
The Gophers used a 11-3 spurt in the second quarter to push the lead to 15 points before Illinois scored eight consecutive points to close the first half that made it 36-29 at the intermission.
Minnesota: Plays Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Illinois: The 10th-seeded Illini play Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
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