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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois needed a career-high performance from Malcolm Hill to outlast Northern Kentucky 79-64 on Sunday night.The senior scored a career-high 40 points and brought down 12 rebounds to help Illinois (2-0) fight through a first half where the Illini trailed 33-31 at halftime and struggled to hold off the Norse off until the end.It was something I was working on over the summer, Hill said. This is just one of the games that showed a lot of the hard work and dedication that Ive put into my 3-point shot.The Illini shot 44 percent from the field but were 20-30 from the free-throw line.Michael Finke also scored in double figures, adding 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Illini.Illinois coach John Groce credited his veteran team for the polite conversation at halftime to change the teams energy and focus.Our seniors responded big time in the second half, he said. I thought we came out with a lot more aggressiveness, a lot more attacking mentality.Lavone Holland II led Northern Kentucky (1-1) with 13 points, which kept the Norse in the game until the final eight minutes.The Norse held a 43-32 rebound advantage despite Northern Kentuckys tallest players being 6-foot-7.Northern Kentucky was sloppy with the ball for most of the game, committing 18 turnovers that led to 21 Illinois points.Our youth showed when things went bad and I thought their veteran leadership showed with their run, Northern Kentucky coach John Brannen said.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Illini will have a lot to work on despite the win. They will have a few games to work out the kinks before tougher opponents appear on the schedule.Northern Kentucky: The Norse can hold their heads up despite the loss. Northern Kentucky competed well throughout the game against a Big Ten opponent.TURNING POINTIllinois and Northern Kentucky exchanged baskets and the lead for much of the start of the second half until Hill took over. He scored 29 points in the half and helped put the game away.HIGHLIGHT REELTracy Abrams got the State Farm Center crowd excited when he came from behind to block a Drew McDonald fast break layup.UP NEXTIllinois will play its third game in five nights when the Illini host McKendree on Tuesday night.Northern Kentucky will try to rebound after its first loss of the season on Friday when the Norse play Austin Peay in the Tarkett Sports Classic in Oxford, Ohio.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.orgStan Smith Belgie . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Ultra Boost Schoenen . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. http://www.yeezybelgie.com/ . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Yeezy Boost 350 Korting . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Adidas Ultra Boost Belgie . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers.Jordan Spieth just loves life Down Under.The 23-year-old American and former Masters champion now boasts two Australian Open crowns and an increased horde of Aussie fans after he survived a playoff at Royal Sydney on Sunday.The world No.5 was confident that could he shoot three-under over the weekend it would be enough to claim a second Stonehaven Cup, and thats exactly what transpired as he went 68-69 and then called on the steely nerves that had already yielded 11 wins worldwide.Spieth first rolled in a knee-knocking par putt at the 72nd hole to enter the playoff, before a 10-foot birdie at the first extra hole fell right in the middle of the cup and little-known Australian Ashley Hall was unable to respond.I felt like I really played well, I felt like I played well this week, Spieth said as he sat alongside the trophy.I got off with the driver and 3-wood, and putting throughout the week wasnt tip-top shape; but my short game was there, the iron play was solid, so it certainly felt like I was playing well enough to be in contention, just wasnt sure about winning.And then we made the putts at the very end that mattered.After triumphing at The Lakes Golf Club two years ago, and falling just short in his title defence at The Australian in 2015, Spieth certainly knows how to get into a rhythm Down Under.And its a golfing beat Australians are happy to dance along with, too.While the locals would have loved to have seen Adam Scott make a final-round charge or overnight leader Geoff Ogilvy claim a second Australian Open, Spieths gallery was jammed for much of the week with only those prepared to head out early on Thursday morning getting a continual close-up of the American.They were standing 10-deep at some parts of Royal Sydney on Sunday and while he only held the outright lead early on the final day, the fans never strayed too far knowing that if things got tight down the stretch Spieth would be there to strike.We love coming here, certainly plan on it...its hard to tell, Spieth said when asked whether hed be back to chase a third Stonehaven Cup in 2017.But how can you argue with coming here and gaining the confidence that weve had out of this event. So I certainly plan to, but just dont know whats going to happen 12 months from now.Ive cut out aa lot of overseas travel this year but we still came here because thats how important this event is to us.dddddddddddd And I havent gone anywhere else...so even if overseas travel is trimmed out we still like coming here and plan to [in 2017], its just I certainly cant say yes or no right this second.A brilliant long-range birdie putt on 16 drew Spieth level with Hall and Smith before he got up and down from off the green at 17 and 18, both with testing par putts, to get into the playoff.He then only needed one blow at the first extra hole to put the pressure on and the putting that has been the cornerstone of his rise to the top of world golf did the rest.With world No.1 Jason Day out injured, defending champion Matt Jones forced to remain in the States to chase his PGA Tour card and Jonny Vegas the only other international of note outside Spieth, it was far from a star-filled Australian Open field.But so personable is Spieth and so intense the Sunday drama that unfolded that the lack of class in the field barely rated a mention.A few more international names wouldnt hurt but away from Rickie Fowler - who will contest the World Cup of Golf in Melbourne next week - only the rusted-on golf fans would really recognise some of the other leading Americans or Europeans on the PGA and European Tours.And the Aussie fans already have their man anyway.Yeah, fantastic, Aussie fans are unique, Spieth said.Theyre a lot of fun to be around, they certainly love their own but have embraced us as one of their own and we love that. So I mean everybody just I think wanted a fantastic finish and fortunately it was.A few people wanted it to probably go back in Aussie hands; Matt Jones wasnt here to reclaim it this year, and were happy to take it in his absence.But just to speak to the fans, theyre very respectful, very knowledgeable but also kind of the right amount of rowdy.The locals will certainly hope Spieth is able to return for the fourth straight year in 2017 as while the Australian Open is again tinged with red, white and blue, they recognise there is more than just a hint of green and gold running through Spieths veins now too. ' ' '