Thursday, March 13th, 2:30 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Conseco Fieldhouse (18,435) -- Indianapolis, Indiana. Television: ESPN2. Home Record: Illinois 7-8, Penn State 13-4. Away Record: Illinois 3-8, Penn State 2-8. Neutral Record: Illinois 3-2, Penn State 0-3. Conference Record: Illinois 5-13, Penn State 7-11. Series Record: Illinois leads, 20-9.

GAME NOTES: In a rematch of last season's postseason affair, the sixth-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions hope to return the favor to the tenth-seeded Illinois Fightin' Illini in opening round Big Ten Tournament action at Conseco Fieldhouse. When all is said and done, Penn State will look back on the 2007-08 campaign and consider it a success. The Nittany Lions have posted their most Big Ten wins (7) and highest finish in the conference since 2001. In the last game of the season, the Lions picked up their biggest victory of the season in a 68-67 overtime thriller over 17th-ranked Indiana. It was a total team effort for PSU, who have won three of its last four games heading into the postseason and look to knock off a few more prominent opponents in the next few games. Illinois comes into the Tournament on somewhat of a high note. The Fightin' Illini have won two of their last three games, their only loss being a 59-51 defeat to nationally-ranked Michigan State one week ago. The Illini followed that loss with a convincing 67-58 victory over Minnesota and hope to build on that success in the next few days. Illinois has had a ton of success in the postseason, posting the most Big Ten Tournament wins (18) to go along with the best all-time winning percentage in the postseason event (.692). The Illini knocked off Penn State last year, 66-60 in the first round of the Tournament, but have lost both contests this year by a combined five points. The winner of today's get-together will take on second-seeded Purdue on Friday night.

Illinois has been a stout defensive team all season, allowing opponents to connect on just 39.6 percent from the floor for 61.2 ppg. The problem has been on the offensive end, where Shaun Pruitt has had to carry the team in several departments. Pruitt tallied team-highs of 12.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while sinking a robust 57.0 percent from the floor. Trent Meacham is the only other Fightin' Illini to net double-figures on the season with 10.7 ppg. Brian Randle, who has been nursing injuries all season, has had a down year according to most, finishing with 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. With Randle and Pruitt down low, the squad is out-rebounding opponents by five boards an outing. The Illini's poor free throw shooting has cost the squad several decisions, as they boast a conference-worst .608 free throw percentage. In close contests, Illinois has only rely on Meachem, who is the only regular hitting over 67.0 percent from the stripe.

Penn State can go eight-deep without losing much production. All but one of the eight participating players notched at least six points in the season-defining victory over Indiana last weekend. David Jackson led the way with a double- double of 13 points and 10 assists. It was the first time all season Jackson led the Nittany Lions is scoring, showing anyone can take the reigns for PSU in any given game. The squad had to rally together after losing leading scorer Geary Claxton (17.5 ppg) to a season-ending knee injury midway through the season. Yet another injury will hinder how far the Lions get this postseason, as Jamelle Cornley went down with a knee injury of his own last week and is lost for the rest of the season. Freshman Taylor Battle will lead Penn State into the tournament. He is averaging 10.0 ppg and has dished out a team-high 94 assists this season. He will be looking to Danny Morrissey on the perimeter (56 trifectas) and Jackson in the post, but it will certainly be a team-effort if PSU advances past the opening round.

Penn State will have a tough go of it due to suffering injuries to its best players this season. The victory over Indiana proved the supporting cast can get the job done in big-time games, but Illinois has experience on its side and a pair of frontcourt players that won't have much trouble having their way in the post.

Predicted Outcome

Illinois 66, Penn State 60