Brown Helps Illini Remain Undefeated

Dee Brown turned three straight steals into baskets, including the go-ahead three-point play, and scored 16 points to keep Illinois undefeated with a 57-51 victory over Michigan on Tuesday night at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Illinois, 24-0 overall and 10-0 in the Big Ten Conference, overcame a total collapse on offense -- going nearly 12 minutes without a field goal -- and an eight-point deficit early in the second half to become the nation’s only undefeated team. Previously unbeaten Boston College lost at Notre Dame just minutes before the Illini finished off the Wolverines.

“It’s a good feeling, but there’s a bigger target on us now,” Brown said.

The Wolverines (12-12, 3-7) have lost seven straight.

No. 5 Kentucky 69, Florida 66 -- Kelenna Azubuike scored 18 points and Kentucky rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit at Lexington, Ky. The Wildcats (18-2, 9-0 Southeastern) beat Florida (14-6, 6-3) for the eighth straight time and 10th in 11 games. The Wildcats hold a three-game lead in the SEC East with seven games remaining.

No. 18 Pittsburgh 55, St. John’s 44 -- Chevon Troutman and Chris Taft wore down St. John’s in the second half at Pittsburgh with their size and strength.

The 6-foot-7 Troutman had 19 points and the 6-10 Taft had eight of his 12 points in the second half to help the Panthers (16-4, 6-3 Big East) avoid a second consecutive surprise loss to St. John’s.

St. John’s (8-12, 2-8) upset Pitt, 65-62, in New York on Jan. 18.

Colorado 88, No. 23 Texas 79 -- Richard Roby scored 22 points, Marcus Hall added 17 and Colorado withstood a big second-half run at Boulder, Colo. Colorado (12-9, 4-6 Big 12) had five players in double figures and beat the Longhorns for the second time in nine games. Texas (15-7, 4-5) has lost four of five.

OTHER GAMES

Maryland 86, Virginia Tech 71 -- John Gilchrist had 19 points and 10 assists, and Nik Caner-Medley scored 21 to lead the Terrapins at College Park, Md. Maryland (14-7, 5-5 Atlantic Coast) ended a two-game skid that dropped it out of the top 25. Carlos Dixon had 22 points for the Hokies (12-9, 5-5).

Georgia Tech 70, Clemson 62 -- B.J. Elder scored 11 points for the Yellow Jackets at Clemson, S.C., including the go-ahead three-pointer.

Elder, the team’s leading scorer, had missed all nine of Georgia Tech’s ACC games with a left hamstring strain. Georgia Tech (14-7, 5-5) slid from the top 10 when Elder was injured to outside the rankings after losing five of its last nine games. Clemson is 11-11, 2-8.