Illinois Pounds Penn State 75-55

Rayvonte Rice scored 15 points to lead four Illinois players in double figures as the Illini defeated Penn State 75-55 at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Saturday.

Illinois (13-2, 2-0) remained in a first-place tie in the Big Ten following a pair of home wins. Penn State (9-6, 0-2) has dropped five of eight after a 6-1 start.
 
Penn State's D.J. Newbill was ejected with 8:38 to play after a retaliatory push to the back of Illinois freshman Kendrick Nunn's head. Newbill, in a virtual dead-heat with Illinois' Rice for the Big Ten scoring lead entering the game, scored just seven on 2-of-8 shooting.
 
Penn State's John Johnson led all scorers with 18. The junior was appearing in just his third game for the Nittany Lions after transferring from Pittsburgh.
 
Joseph Bertrand and John Ekey each scored 11 for Illinois. Tracy Abrams had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists despite a scoreless first half.