CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois needed a career-high performance from Malcolm Hill to outlast Northern Kentucky 79-64 on Sunday night.The senior scored a career-high 40 points and brought down 12 rebounds to help Illinois (2-0) fight through a first half where the Illini trailed 33-31 at halftime and struggled to hold off the Norse off until the end.It was something I was working on over the summer, Hill said. This is just one of the games that showed a lot of the hard work and dedication that Ive put into my 3-point shot.The Illini shot 44 percent from the field but were 20-30 from the free-throw line.Michael Finke also scored in double figures, adding 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Illini.Illinois coach John Groce credited his veteran team for the polite conversation at halftime to change the teams energy and focus.Our seniors responded big time in the second half, he said. I thought we came out with a lot more aggressiveness, a lot more attacking mentality.Lavone Holland II led Northern Kentucky (1-1) with 13 points, which kept the Norse in the game until the final eight minutes.The Norse held a 43-32 rebound advantage despite Northern Kentuckys tallest players being 6-foot-7.Northern Kentucky was sloppy with the ball for most of the game, committing 18 turnovers that led to 21 Illinois points.Our youth showed when things went bad and I thought their veteran leadership showed with their run, Northern Kentucky coach John Brannen said.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Illini will have a lot to work on despite the win. They will have a few games to work out the kinks before tougher opponents appear on the schedule.Northern Kentucky: The Norse can hold their heads up despite the loss. Northern Kentucky competed well throughout the game against a Big Ten opponent.TURNING POINTIllinois and Northern Kentucky exchanged baskets and the lead for much of the start of the second half until Hill took over. He scored 29 points in the half and helped put the game away.HIGHLIGHT REELTracy Abrams got the State Farm Center crowd excited when he came from behind to block a Drew McDonald fast break layup.UP NEXTIllinois will play its third game in five nights when the Illini host McKendree on Tuesday night.Northern Kentucky will try to rebound after its first loss of the season on Friday when the Norse play Austin Peay in the Tarkett Sports Classic in Oxford, Ohio.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org China Jerseys Reviews . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. China Jerseys For Sale . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. http://www.chinajerseyspaypal.com/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. China Jerseys Outlet . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. China Jerseys Paypal .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. OSLO, Norway -- The Norwegian resort of Kvitfjell will host the canceled mens World Cup speed races in February.Svein Mundal, president of the organizing committee in Kvitfjell, says the races will be held Feb. 24-26 in connection with the scheduled event at the site.The races had been set Nov. 26-27 inn Lake Louise, Alberta, but lack of snow forced their cancellation.ddddddddddddA regular stop on the World Cup circuit, Kvitfjell hosted the speed races at the 1994 Olympics. ' ' '