Brown's treys pace Illinois

Dee Brown connected for six 3-pointers to help the Illini repel Penn State.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Dee Brown hit six 3-pointers, including three in a crucial second-half run, to help Illinois hold off a second-half rally and beat Penn State 66-58 on Saturday.
Brown was an unlikely hero coming into the game, having not shot .500 from the field in more than a month. He had 17 points two weeks ago against Minnesota, but hit just 7-of-17 from the floor in that game, and just 2 of 9 3-pointers.
Penn State (9-14, 3-9 Big Ten) opened the second half with a 14-5 run, taking the lead on Aaron Johnson's 3-pointer and going up 34-31 on Marlon Smith's layup with 15 minutes remaining.
The lead changed five times in the next 51/2 minutes, but the Illini (18-5, 9-3) went up for good on a three-point play by Deron Williams. Brown hit 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions, the last making it 50-43 with 6:55 remaining.
The Nittany Lions stayed in the game by hitting 12 free throws in the last 81/2 minutes, but could not pull ahead again. Jan Jagla's fade-away jumper with 2:17 remaining got Penn State within 62-56, but they would get no closer.
Brown led four Illini in double figures, scoring 24 points. Luther Head scored 14, Williams scored 12 and Roger Powell had 10.
Smith led Penn State with 16 points, Ben Luber scored 14 and Jagla had 10.
Michigan St. 66, Northwestern 56
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Chris Hill scored 16 points, including three 3-pointers, to help a balanced Michigan State beat Northwestern.
Paul Davis scored 15 and dominated inside. Maurice Ager had 11 off the bench and Alan Anderson added 12 points and six assists for the Big Ten leading Spartans (15-9, 10-3).
Jitim Young topped all scorers with 25 points, but was the only player in double figures for the Wildcats (11-12, 6-6). Young was 9-for-14 from the field and had four steals.
Purdue 65, Minnesota 47
MINNEAPOLIS -- Reserve Melvin Buckley scored 15 points while David Teague added 13 to lead Purdue.
Kenneth Lowe and Brandon McKnight each added 10 points for Purdue (17-9, 7-6 Big Ten), which won for only the second time in its last five games.
Minnesota's Kris Humphries, coming off a career-high 36 points in a victory at Indiana on Wednesday night, was held to 14 -- five in the first half. Ben Johnson led Minnesota (10-15, 2-11) with 16 points.