Illinois 66, Rutgers 54: Kendrick Nunn scored a game-high 21 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists as the Fighting Illini downed the visiting Scarlet Knights to climb back to .500 in Big Ten play.

Malcolm Hill added 15 points and five rebounds while Ahmad Starks had 13 points off the bench for Illinois (15-8, 5-5 Big Ten), which improved to 11-1 at home. Leron Black tallied 12 points and Jaylon Tate dished out six assists for the Fighting Illini, who were again without the suspended Rayvonte Rice and Aaron Cosby.

Kadeem Jack led the way with 17 points and nine rebounds for Rutgers (10-14, 2-9), which has dropped seven consecutive games. Myles Mack collected 16 points and six rebounds for the Scarlet Knights, who couldn't overcome a 4-of-18 performance from 3-point range.

Mack scored five straight points as Rutgers jumped in front 13-12 near the midway point of the first half before Hill and Starks buried back-to-back 3-pointers a short time later to put Illinois on top 25-20. Hill, the reigning co-Big Ten Player of the Week, scored six points as part of an 8-0 run to end the opening stanza to help the Fighting Illini take a 35-24 lead into the break.

Nunn connected from beyond the arc as Illinois pulled ahead 45-28 before Bishop Daniels later knocked down a 3-pointer to trim the deficit to 12 with just under 11 1/2 minutes remaining. Jack nailed a triple to pull the Scarlet Knights within 62-54 before Nunn sank four free throws in the final minute to salt the game away.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Illinois went 9-of-9 from the free-throw line while Rutgers finished 8-of-11. … Hill has scored in double figures in 11 of his last 12 outings. … The Scarlet Knights finished with more turnovers (14) than assists (11).