Penn State 86, Illinois 79 (2OT)

[March 07, 2016]  Penn State went 12-for-12 from the free-throw line in the second overtime and defeated Illinois 86-79 on Sunday at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pa.

Guard Shep Garner led the Nittany Lions (16-15, 7-11 Big Ten) with 22 points and forward Brandon Taylor added 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Guard Malcolm Hill scored a career-high 39 points for Illinois (13-18, 5-13) but missed two crucial free throws in regulation that could have won the game for the Fighting Illini.

Penn State led by 10 points midway through the second half and seemed to be cruising toward a win that would snap a two-game losing streak.

But the Fighting Illini, specifically Hill, began a comeback.

With the Illini trailing 55-47 with a little more than nine minutes left, Hill scored seven of the next 10 Illinois points. Guard Khalid Lewis hit a 3-point jumper and made two free throws to get Illinois to within one at 63-62.

Hill was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made two of three free throws at the 1:58 mark to put Illinois in the lead for the first time since the first half.

With Illinois clinging to a 66-65 lead, Hill was fouled with 27 seconds left. Hill, who connects on 82 percent of his free throws made only one of this two attempts, leaving the door open for Penn State to tie the game.

Garner's layup sent the game into the first overtime.

Hill scored all five Illinois points in the first extra stanza, including two free throws with 22 seconds left to send the game to a second overtime.

Hill made good on 14 of 16 free throws and as a team, while the Illini sank 21 of 24.

Hill's previous high was 34 points in a 91-79 win against South Dakota on Dec. 19.

Penn State went the foul line 30 times and made 24.

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