Player of the Game: Tony Carr
The one-time Illinois recruiting target might not have been the Nittany Lions’ leading scorer, but the freshman point guard’s 13 points included several clutch makes in the second half — particularly up against the shot clock.
Backcourt: Penn State A-, Illinois C-
A better second half from Jalen Coleman-Lands and Malcolm Hill’s overall strong performance buoyed the Illinois backcourt, but Carr was joined in double figures by Shep Garner and Payton Banks.
Frontcourt: Penn State B, Illinois C-
The Illini bigs crashed the boards, with Michael Finke, Kipper Nichols and Leron Black all pulling down at least five rebounds as part of a 40-27 advantage.