CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Malcolm Hill scored a career-high 40 points and brought in 12 rebounds to help Illinois outlast Northern Kentucky 79-64 on Sunday night.
Illinois (2-0) fought through a first half where the Illini trailed 33-31 at halftime and struggled to hold off the Norse off until the end.
The Illini shot 44 percent from the field but were 20-30 from the free-throw line.
Michael Finke added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Illini.
Lavone Holland II led Northern Kentucky (1-1) with 13 points, which helped the Norse stay in the game until the final eight minutes.
The Norse held a 43-32 rebound advantage despite Northern Kentucky's tallest players being 6-foot-7.
Northern Kentucky was sloppy with the ball for most of the game, which resulted with 18 turnovers and 21 points off turnovers for Illinois.
UP NEXT
Illinois will play its third game in five nights when the Illini look to stay undefeated and host McKendree on Tuesday night.
ILLINOIS POSTGAME NOTES
- The Fighting Illini moved to 2-0 on the season Sunday night, marking the fourth time in head coach John Groce's five seasons and the 18th time in the last 19 years Illinois has started with two wins.
- Illini senior Malcolm Hill poured in a career-high 40 points on the night, becoming only the seventh Illini to score 40+ points in a game and the first to score since Brandon Paul scored 43 against Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2012. Hill's previous career-high was 39 in a double-overtime game at Penn State on March 6, 2016.
- Hill was 13-of-23 from the field, 5-of-8 from three and 9-of-12 from the FT line for the game. Hill's five 3-pointers made was a new career-high.
- The 40-point performance by Hill is tied for fifth-best single-game total in Illinois history, and he became only the third Illini to score 38+ points in a game twice, joining Andy Kaufmann and Dave Scholz.
- Hill scored 29 of his 40 points in the second half, hitting 11-of-17 from the field after the break.
- Hill moved into Illinois' top 25 all-time in career points and currently sits at No. 22 with 1,304 points.
- Hill also pulled down 12 rebounds, marking the eighth time Hill has recorded a double-double. It also was the 22nd time the senior scored 20+ points, the fifth time he's scored 30+ points, and the eighth time he has snagged 10+ rebounds in a game.
- Hill is the first Illini to score 40 with a double-double in a regulation game since 1968 (Dave Scholz 42pt/12reb vs. NW, 2/24/1968).
- The Orange and Blue used an 11-0 run following a 50-50 tie to grab the lead for good in the second half. Hill scored nine of the 11 points during that run.
- The Illini trailed by eight points in the first half, and was the biggest deficit they have overcome since beating Minnesota, 84-71 on Feb. 28, 2016, after trailing 40-28.
- The win was the 24th for Illinois under Groce when trailing at halftime. The Illini trailed the Norse, 33-31, at the break.
- The Illini held NKU without a field goal for more than four minutes from the 3:27 mark in the first half to the 19:16 mark in the second half.
- Redshirt-sophomore Michael Finke recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
