Junior forward Payton Banks rejoined the starting lineup and poured in a career-high-tying 24 points to pace Penn State to an 83-70 Big Ten win over Illinois on Saturday afternoon at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill.

Freshman forward Lamar Stevens scored 21 points and freshman guard Tony Carr added 19 for Penn State (14-12, 6-7), which shot 57 percent from the field to build on Tuesday's victory over No. 21 Maryland.

Senior swingman Malcolm Hill scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half for Illinois (14-12, 4-9), which lost to Penn State for the second time in 15 days. Freshman point guard Te'Jon Lucas added 11 points and seven assists.

Penn State pushed its lead all the way to 62-43 on Carr's jumper with 9:29 to go before Illinois put on a rush similar to the teams' first meeting on Jan. 28.

Illinois reeled off 14 points in a row -- highlighted by four free throws from sophomore guard Jalen Coleman-Lands and two baskets from senior center Maverick Morgan -- to cut the gap to 62-57 with 5:07 to play.

But the Nittany Lions blunted the rally with 3-point plays from Banks and Stevens. Illinois never got closer than nine points.

The lead changed hands several times in the opening 16 minutes -- neither team leading by more than four -- as the teams took turns enduring mini-droughts.

After Illinois forged a 27-27 tie on Morgan's jumper with 5:09 left in the first half, Penn State scored 12 points in a row to seize control. Banks delivered the final 10 in that run with a jumper, layup and back-to-back 3-pointers.

Hill was the lone effective Illini player in the first half. Hill drilled 5 of 8 shots and scored 12 points to keep Illinois within 41-29 at halftime.