As the conference race heads into the second half, Indiana and Michigan (both were 7-2 as of yesterday) have successfully weathered the losses of marquee players Calbert Cheaney and Chris Webber and taken the inside track to the Big Ten Championship.

"Before the season, I said Illinois and Minnesota," Michigan State Coach Judd Heathcote said. "That shows how dumb I am."

The self-depracating Heathcote may be vindicated yet. While a horrendous road record (1-3 in the Big Ten) has put Minnesota's back to the wall, the Illini snuck back into the conference race last week with a pair of impressive wins against Indiana and Penn State.

Illinois (5-3 in the conference) bludgeoned the Hoosiers and host Lions on the boards -- out-rebounding both teams by a combined 85-52 -- and leads the country in rebounding margin (11.3).

"We've been doing a good job on the boards," Illinois Coach Lou Henson said, "but we haven't executed that well offensively."

A good sign for Henson was the play of Richard Keene last week. The 6-foot-6 sophomore guard shot 60 percent from the field and 58 percent from the three-point arc and averaged 17 points in the two Illini wins.

If Keene is shooting well, the Illini are difficult to defend.

Deon Thomas, who can score and rebound with any big man in the country, finally has some help in the paint with the arrival of juco-transfer Shelley Clark, a 6-foot-9, 262-pound widebody.

Slick point guard Kiwane Garris is an excellent penetrator, who can also hit the outside shot. The freshman phenom is averaging 16.4 ppg and 4.4 apg.

Keene, though, could be the key.

"He'll need to continue shooting well for us to win," Henson said of Keene.

What current Big Ten stars finished first and second, respectively, in the voting for the coveted "Mr. Basketball" award in Indiana in 1991? (answer at bottom).

Ricky Byrdsong's frustration over his team's 0-8 start in the Big Ten came to a head last Saturday when the first-year coach handed over his coaching duties to assistant Paul Swanson and sat in the stands during the second half of Northwestern's 79-65 loss at Minnesota.

Yesterday, Byrdsong asked Athletic Director Rich Taylor for a an indefinite leave of absense, which Taylor granted.

"We have to give Ricky a little bit of space and let him work through this," Taylor told the Associated Press.

When asked why he left the bench during Saturday's game, Byrdsong replied, "They (players) have to develop courage. The one point I'm trying to make is they can do it without me."

Wildcat players declined comment. "We've decided we'd really like to keep this in the family for now," team captain Kevin Rankin told the Associated Press.

Minnesota at Wisconsin (2 p.m. Saturday) Each team desperately needs a win to stay in the conference championship hunt. Wisconsin's Michael Finley and Minnesota's Voshon Lenard can really light it up.

Purdue's Glenn Robinson won the 1991 "Mr. Basketball" award, while Indiana's Alan Henderson was the runner-up for the award that honors the top scholastic player in Indiana.