GAME NOTES: A couple of Big Ten teams trying to get back on track collide at Value City Arena tonight, as the Illinois Fighting Illini tussle with the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Illini enter the contest on the decline, as they have dropped six of the past seven outings. On Saturday, Illinois suffered its fourth loss in five true road games, falling at Purdue 74-67. With the setback, the Illini dipped to 9-10 overall and a dismal 1-5 in conference play. As for OSU, it stepped out of league play on Saturday only be downed at nationally- ranked Tennessee, 74-69. The loss capped off an unsuccessful three-game road trip in which the Buckeyes dropped all three games. Now at 12-6 overall, OSU heads back into Big Ten play, where it has lost two straight games following a 3-0 start. As for the all-time series, Illinois holds a 100-63 advantage over OSU, but the Buckeyes won the earlier meeting this month, 74-58, in Champaign.

The Illini turned the ball over 21 times and that resulted in 22 points for Purdue in a 74-67 setback on Saturday. The miscues ruined an otherwise solid performance by Illinois, which shot 49.0 percent from the field, including a 7-of-15 effort from long range. Brian Randle paced the team in defeat with a double-double that consisted of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Shaun Pruitt also tallied 15 points and he snared nine caroms, while Trent Meacham chipped in with 11 points. For the season, Pruitt ranks as the team's top scorer (12.9 ppg) and rebounder (7.9 rpg), and Randle is second to him with 10.5 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Both players however, have struggled at the foul line, as each is shooting under 56.0 percent. Meacham rounds out the double-figure scorers with 10.2 ppg and he is knocking down 38.2 percent of his long-range attempts. Overall, the Illini has been at their best at the defensive end of the court, limiting foes to just 62.3 ppg, on only 39.1 percent shooting from the floor.

The Buckeyes made just 2-of-20 shots from beyond the arc and they committed 15 turnovers in a loss at Tennessee on Saturday. The team converted 17-of-22 free-throw attempts, but it wasn't enough in the end. Evan Turner guided OSU in the setback with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Othello Hunter had his own double-double of 17 points and 14 boards, while Kosta Koufos logged 13 points and five rebounds. Jamar Butler though, had an off game, as he made just 1-of-7 three-pointers in finishing with eight points and seven assists. For the season, Butler leads the Buckeyes in both scoring (14.7 ppg) and assists (6.3 apg) and he is also shooting 43.1 percent from three- point range. Koufos trails Butler in scoring at 13.7 ppg, but he tops the roster in rebounding with 6.8 rpg. As a team, OSU is producing 69.8 ppg, while holding its opponents to a mere 60.8 ppg and a lackluster 37.4 percent shooting from the field.

The Buckeyes won the prior meeting this season, so they should be able to get the job done at home this time around. Expect Butler to rebound and lead the way for OSU tonight.