Suffering from a four-point deficit with just a tick over 30 seconds remaining, the men's basketball team was searching for desperate measures to contain Illinois guard Kiwane Garris on the inbounds play.

Nittany Lion Coach Bruce Parkhill substituted 5-foot-10 guard Nate Althouse for center John Amaechi, who stands a foot taller. The strategy called for defensive specialists Althouse and Donovan Williams to prevent Garris -- who had converted 8-of-8 free throws -- from receiving the inbounds pass.

With Williams fronting and Althouse behind him, Garris broke downcourt and caught a deep pass at midcourt, burning the Lion backcourt duo and swooping under forward Rahsaan Carlton to put the game out of reach.

It was that kind of night.

Garris, a 6-foot-2 sophomore point guard, tied a career high with 33 points to lead the Fighting Illini (15-7, 6-4 Big Ten) to a 67-58 victory over the Lions (13-6, 5-5) last night at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Ill.

"We've seen all of Kiwane Garris that we want to see this year," Parkhill told the Associated Press. "He was terrific."

It was the only game this season between Penn State and Illinois, who are Big Ten traveling partners. And it was a battle of fifth-place teams vying for the upper hand in the conference standings. Because of the parity in the Big Ten, there is a possibility only five conference members will receive NCAA Tournament berths.

"It's always nicer to have a lead and to be able to have some confidence and be playing well and then have to know you can hold on but just maintain your intensity," Amaechi said in a postgame interview on WRSC-1390 AM.

"But we are always in a situation where we are always trying to build up intensity so that we can gain a lead and then hold it. It's a lot more energy expensive."

The Lions could not afford to make such mistakes at critical moments of the game. But they did, and it was Garris who turned simple misfortune into disaster with big plays and clutch shooting under tight circumstances.

Garris shot 10-of-15 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from three-point range, and sank 10 free throws in as many attempts. Every time the Lions climbed within two points of the Fighting Illini in the second half, it was Garris who broke the game open.

"(Garris) was very impressive. He did everything. He stepped up big time and hit some big shots for them," Amaechi said. "Admittedly, I think we gave him way too many easy opportunities -- but he played a great game."

Despite shooting only 33 percent (9-for-27) from the field and a lack of scoring production from the starting frontcourt, the Lions fought back from a 20-10 first-half deficit to keep the game close.

After Dan Earl hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 26 in the first half, Garris nailed a three-pointer, sank two free throws and stole a pass to set up a 7-0 Illinois run before halftime for a 33-26 lead.

The Lions were within one point, 36-35, early in the second half when Garris drilled a three-pointer. He responded to Glenn Sekunda's layup with another three-pointer to open up a five-point lead.

Carlton's three-point play tied the score at 44 at 10 minutes, 36 seconds, when Illinois' Jerry Hester threw an errant pass that was stolen by Williams. Carlton filled the lane on the fastbreak, finished with a layup, was fouled by Hester and sank the free throw.

But freshman Pete Lisicky's three-point attempt on the next possession was an airball. Lisicky fouled Garris, who made both free throws for a two-point lead, 46-44.

The Lions never recovered.

Amaechi made the second of two free throws to cut the lead to one, but after a timeout, Lisicky's pass was stolen by Illinois forward Robert Bennett, who dished to Garris for a leaner in the lane. An Earl turnover and a Shelly Clark layup capped a 9-1 run that gave the Fighting Illini a 54-45 lead.

Sekunda -- who missed his first seven shots but finished tied with Amaechi for a team-high 13 points -- sank a three-pointer to make the score 56-52. But Carlton missed a three-pointer, then a reverse layup.

Lisicky nailed another three-pointer with 41.5 seconds to cut it to 60-55. Then Earl fouled freshman guard Kevin Turner -- a 20 percent free-throw shooter --who made the front end of a one-on-one.

After Amaechi sank two free throws, the score was 61-57. Then came the play that put the game out of reach and the Lions' NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy.

PENN STATE (13-6)

Carlton 2-9 2-3 7, Sekunda 6-16 0-0 13, Amaechi 3-6 6-8 13, Earl 3-7 3-3 11, D. Williams 2-3 0-0 4, Bartram 0-0 0-0 0, Althouse 0-0 0-0 0, Lisicky 2-6 0-1 6, Joseph 0-1 0-0 0, P. Williams 2-4 0-1 4. Totals 20-52 11-16 58.

ILLINOIS (15-7)

Hester 2-7 2-2 6, Bennett 4-6 3-4 11, Gee 0-3 0-0 0, Keene 2-6 0-0 4, Garris 10-15 10-10 33, Heldman 0-0 0-0 0, Notree 0-0 0-0 0, Robisch 0-0 0-0 0, Clark 4-11 0-2 8, Turner 1-6 1-2 3, Johnson 1-1 0-0 2, Gandy 0-0 0-0 0, Roth 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Rodgers 0-0 0-0 0, Schulz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 16-20 67.

Halftime--Illinois 33, Penn State 26. 3-pointers--Penn State 7-19 (Carlton 1-3, Sekunda 1-5, Amaechi 1-1, Earl 2-5, D. Williams 0-1, Lisicky 2-4), Illinois 3-9 (Hester 0-1, Keene 0-3, Garris 3-3, Turner 0-2). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Penn State 32 (Amaechi 8), Illinois 33 (Bennett, Clark 7). Assists--Penn State 12 (Earl 6), Illinois 16 (Garris 8). Total fouls--Penn State 19, Illinois 17. A--16,090.