Nov. 20, 2005

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Dee Brown scored 20 points and No. 17 Illinois bounced back from a poor-shooting first half to beat Texas-Pan American 71-59 on Sunday.

Brown hit five 3-pointers for the Illini (2-0), who trailed by 10 points with 8:19 to go in the first half before their shots started to fall.

Pan American (1-1) was able to get the ball to the basket early and its zone defense kept the Illinois out on the perimeter.

Nineteen of Illinois' 35 first-half shots were from behind the arc and it hit only six of them. Meanwhile, the Broncs were getting the ball inside.

A 3-point play by Kano Edwards broke a 13-13 tie and ignited a 10-0 Pan Am run. Dexter Shankle had a layup, Derrick East tipped one in and David Burrell had a fast-break layup to put the Broncs up 23-13.

Illini freshman Jamar Smith started Illinois' comeback when he finally got a 3-pointer to go with 7:11 left. Rich McBride hit two more, Chester Frazier hit another and finally James Augustine's layup with 1:53 to go gave Illinois a 31-30 lead.

The Illini closed the half with a 23-9 run and led 36-32 lead at the break.

Pan Am cut the Illinois lead to two points twice early in the second half, but Augustine's jumper started an 8-0 run that put the Illini up 46-38 and the Broncs never got closer than five points again.

Brown added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals for Illinois. Augustine scored 14 points and McBride had 11 as the Illini finished the game shooting just 40 percent and 14-of-33 from 3-point range.

Pan American made 54 percent of its shots and was 9-of-21 from long range. East and Shankle each scored 12 points and Johnathan Chatman scored 10 for the Broncs, who committed 17 turnovers.