STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Shep Garner scored 22 points and Penn State hung on through two overtime periods to beat Illinois 86-79 on Sunday.
Brandon Taylor added 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Nittany Lions (16-15, 7-11 Big Ten), who secured a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament for the first time in program history. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and marked Penn State's most conference wins under head coach Patrick Chambers.
Josh Reaves added 13 points and Donovon Jack chipped in 10 for Penn State.