Malcolm Hill turns in Illini's seventh-ever 40-point game in win over Northern Kentucky

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Malcolm Hill is primed for a big senior season at Illinois.

And he's off to one heck of a start, following up a 21-point output in the season-opening win over Southeast Missouri State with a 40-point explosion in Sunday night's 79-64 Illini win over Northern Kentucky.

Hill established a new career high with his 40-point night, besting by one the 39-point game he turned in last season against Penn State. It was the seventh 40-point game for an individual player in Illinois history, and only four times in program history has a player scored more in a single game.

Hill's efforts obviously led the way in this one, the senior accounting for more than half of his team's total points. Hill was 13-for-23 from the field, went 5-for-8 from 3-point range and shot 9-for-12 from the free-throw line. And just to add a little bit, he also registered a double-double with 12 rebounds.

The Illini hardly dominated the visiting Norse, losing the rebounding battle, 43-32, and making two fewer 3-point field goals. But Illinois capitalized on 18 Northern Kentucky turnovers, scoring 21 points off the giveaways. The Illini were also 20-for-30 from the free-throw line and shot 44 percent from the field compared to 37 percent for the Norse.

Hill was joined in double figures only by Michael Finke, who scored 10 points and also recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. Hill and Finke accounted for more than 63 percent of Illinois' points and more than 71 percent of the team's rebounds.

Jaylon Tate had nine points, and Maverick Morgan scored eight points. Jalen Coleman-Lands continued his cold shooting in the season's early going, making just one of his six field-goal attempts and one of his five 3-point attempts.

The Illini got just seven points from their bench.

Illinois is 2-0 after its first two games of the season. Next up is a Tuesday game against McKendree.

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