With the clock running down in Saturday’s game against Minnesota, a new Orange Krush chant vibrated through Assembly Hall: “Let’s go Bears!”

By that time, it was clear that the home team no longer needed its help.

The Illini, like the Krush, were in the game when it counted, turning in a businesslike 59-49 win over the Golden Gophers.

“The Big Ten is all about protecting your home court and just trying to get as many road wins as you can,” center Shaun Pruitt said. “It might not be seen as much of a marquee matchup, but it’s still very important.”

Illinois was systematic in its dismantling of the Gophers. They finished with four double-digit scorers, tied a season low with seven turnovers and held Minnesota to 32 percent shooting.

The Illini were at their best during a 21-4 run that spanned both halves and put the game out of reach. It began with the Illini trailing 20-18, but a lightning-fast 8-0 burst, capped by a Warren Carter falling three-pointer, gave the Illini the lead for good. The run came during a stretch in which Minnesota made just two baskets in a span of over 20 minutes, giving the Illini their largest lead of the night at 52-31.

“We’re known for (those droughts),” Gophers interim coach Jim Molinari said wryly. “They’re very good perimeter defenders and we don’t have a lot of guys that can go by them. They made us take contested shots.”

Rich McBride and a resurgent Jamar Smith led the Illini with 13 points (and 3 three-pointers) apiece, Smith’s best output since he scored 17 points at Michigan on January 3. The two also spent time manning the point, with Chester Frazier not playing, combining with starter Trent Meachem for six assists and just one turnover.

“(I’ve been frustrated because) usually I shoot and it’s money,” Smith said. “My teammates kept having confidence in me and the coaching staff had confidence in me. Everybody just told me to keep shooting, and I knew eventually the shots would fall.”

Pruitt and Carter added 12 and 10 points respectively for the Illini, while Dan Coleman led the Gophers with 13. Forward Brian Randle, who only recently began practicing again and is still suffering from a variety of injuries, turned in an efficient 29 minutes for the Illini. He scored six points on 3-4 shooting with eight rebounds and two steals, and produced an electrifying steal and dunk as the Illini were pulling away.

The only negative for the Illini was their continued poor free-throw shooting. They went only 8-16 on the game, allowing Minnesota to close the gap a little down the stretch. But the Illini were dominant in every other phase of the game, allowing even Weber to let his mind drift when pressed by the media in his postgame press conference.

“Bears by a touchdown,” Weber said.