Illinois Delivers a Little Payback

It wasn’t for the national title, and neither roster looked all that familiar. Still, Illinois got a measure of revenge.

Dee Brown scored 14 points and Brian Randle got a key rebound in the waning seconds, helping the 12th-ranked Illini hold off North Carolina, 68-64, Tuesday night in a rematch of last season’s NCAA championship game.

James Augustine had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Illinois (6-0), which improved to 3-4 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Illini ended the Tar Heels’ 21-game home winning streak despite scoring only four points in the last 6 1/2 minutes.

Tyler Hansbrough led North Carolina (3-1) with 17 points, and fellow freshman Marcus Ginyard had 14.

No one expected a true rematch of the final because only seven players on the two teams even played in that game, won by the Tar Heels, 75-70. But this one had some of the drama of a matchup in March, thanks to a furious freshman-led rally by North Carolina.

Hansbrough, Ginyard, Bobby Frasor and Danny Green scored all 29 points in the second half, including six clutch free throws from Hansbrough and three-point baskets by Frasor and Ginyard down the stretch.

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No. 2 Texas 82, Texas Pan American 54 -- LaMarcus Aldridge, who has a double-double in every game this season, scored a career-high 23 points and had 11 rebounds, and the Longhorns overcame poor shooting in the first half at Austin.

The Longhorns (6-0) are off to their best start since winning their first 14 games in the 1981-82 season.

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No. 3 Connecticut 68, Army 54 -- Rudy Gay had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five steals for the host Huskies (5-0), who struggled for long stretches against the scrappy Black Knights (2-3).

Jarrell Brown had a career-high 26 points for Army, including four three-pointers.

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No. 10 Kentucky 75, High Point 55 -- Point guard Rajon Rondo had 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists at Lexington, Ky., to lead the Wildcats (5-1) to their third consecutive victory.

Arizona Reid had 29 points and 16 rebounds -- each a career high -- for High Point, the alma mater of Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith.

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No. 21 Alabama 73, Louisiana Tech 63 -- Center Jermareo Davidson had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and sparked a 15-4 spurt after the Crimson Tide (3-1) briefly fell behind six minutes into the second half at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Paul Millsap led Louisiana Tech (2-3) with 21 points but wasn’t much of a factor after picking up his fourth foul with 8:28 left.

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No. 22 Wake Forest 91, Wisconsin 88 -- Justin Gray scored a career-high 37 points, including six free throws in the last 28 seconds, to lead the Demon Deacons (6-1) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and to their 21st consecutive home victory.

Alando Tucker scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half for the Badgers (4-1).

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Houston 84, No. 25 Louisiana State 83 -- Oliver Lafayette scored 27 of his 32 points in the second half and the Cougars rallied for the upset win at Baton Rouge, La.

The Cougars (2-1) trailed by 12 points at halftime but outscored the Tigers, 18-3, in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the second half to take a 49-46 lead.

The Tigers (3-1) committed eight turnovers during that stretch.