CHAMPAIGN — Every team in the Big Ten sports a winning record, and nine of the 12 have won at least 12 games.

What does that mean for the conference race? You better be prepared for a lot of nail-biters and close contests.

That was the case the first Big Ten Conference contest between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Tuesday night.

After surrendering a double-digit halftime lead, the Illini fought back to force overtime and they claimed an 81-72 victory over the Golden Gophers before 15,549 at the Assembly Hall.

“We pieced it together, found a way to win,” Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. “I just hope the next 17 aren’t like this, because I don’t know if I can take this.”

But’s exactly what the veteran coach expected coming into the first league contest.

“You have to protect home court,” he said. “You have to anticipate a lot of close games, just look at the standings. I don’t know if it should have been that close, but it was to their credit.

“You found a way to win at home, protected home court, and now you have to go two on the road, against two very good teams.”

Illinois (12-2 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten) has lost two of its last three, but the Illini came out looking like the team that won their first 10 games as they built a built a 37-27 halftime lead.

“I thought the first half was as well as we’ve played since probably Gonzaga,” Weber said. “Our bench did a great job. I thought we had great energy.

“ You think how big that banked 3 at the end of the half was to get them back into 10 points, and at the end of the game, it’s really crucial.”

But, the biggest thing at the end of regulation was two free throws from Meyers Leonard, who had 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, and his subsequent block on a shot by Maverick Ahanmisi at the buzzer.

“I hit some big free throws down the stretch,” Leonard said. “I had some big plays and I had some turnovers that I normally wouldn’t have had.

“I was able to move past them to make some big plays and my free throws.”

Leonard, who finished with five blocks, had another crucial rejection in the second overtime right after his drive and spinning layup that gave Illinois an insurmountable six-point lead.

“I wouldn’t say fortunate,” Leonard said about the win. “I would say that we played really well in the first half. We kind of locked them down. In the second half, we were sluggish, missing some shots. We’re kind of a young team, but we still have older guys that can make plays.

“We did what we had to do to win and we won.”

Illinois junior guard Brandon Paul, who had a team-high 21 points, hit one of the biggest shots in the first overtime with his 3-pointer over Minnesota’s Ralph Sampson III. But just like Leonard, Paul had some questionable plays and turnovers in the contest.

“I don’t think I played that well in regulation,” said Paul, who had nine of his 21 in the two overtime sessions. “My teammates were stepping up and telling me to keep playing. I came out a little more aggressive in the overtime and I was able to play a little better.

“I said since the beginning of the season, we might not win every game, but every game we will come out and fight. After we lost our lead, they made some plays, but we kept grinding.”

And ultimately, that style of basketball allowed Illinois to win its first league game.

“It was quite a college basketball game,” Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. “It was a hard fought game. Both teams were grinding it out.

“I’m proud in my team, but I’m disappointed that we didn’t win because we had our chances.”

The Golden Gophers (12-2, 0-1) forced 21 turnovers, but they turned them into just 16 points.

“I’m sure that Bruce feels like they can play better, and I know we can play better,” Smith said. “We are going to have to play better if we are going to have any chance in the Big Ten.

“It was really bad missed opportunity. It’s hard to win on the road in the Big Ten.”

Illinois is going to find that out this Saturday when the Illini travel to West Lafayette, Ind., to play the Purdue Boilermakers.

Head leaves Illini program

Sophomore guard Crandall Head has chosen to leave the Illinois basketball program, according to coach Bruce Weber.

“We are disappointed in Crandall’s decision not to continue his career at Illinois, but ultimately we want what is best for him,” Weber said. “There is no doubt we can use his quickness and athleticism. But he’s got to make good decisions in life, in the classroom and on the court, if he is going to get productive.”

Head played in 26 career games with the Illini, averaging 1.2 points.