CHAMPAIGN – Tom Penders probably won't recommend any trips to Big Ten country to his friends.

Following Saturday's nationally televised 105-80 loss at Illinois – a game in which the 10th-year Texas Longhorns coach was ejected following two technical fouls – Penders would not meet with the media.

Penders, whose 5-5 team shot 29 free throws to the Illini's school-record 52 and was called for 32 fouls, released only a brief statement.

"I have no comment on the officiating," said Penders, who was later joined in the locker room by assistant coach Eddie Oran.

From the start, Penders hounded the officiating crew of Ed Hightower, Paul Janssen and Tom Clark – all veteran Big Ten referees. Things boiled over with 8:03 left in the third quarter and the Longhorns trailing 48-39.

After a charging call against Texas' Ivan Wagner, Penders sprinted onto the court and stood in the spot in the lane where the call took place, prompting his first technical.

Twenty-three seconds later, he sarcastically applauded a foul call against Illinois and Hightower hit him with his second technical.

Penders had words for each official before leaving the court. After the first technical, the Illini started on a 12-0 run to forge a 21-point lead with 6:47 left in the third quarter, and the Longhorns never threatened again.

"Their attitude changed a lot and it seemed like they kind of got down and they weren't playing with intensity," Illinois guard Kevin Turner said. "They weren't playing the way they the did at the start."

Texas players were not made available for comment.

Oran was whistled for a technical with 8:02 left in the fourth quarter. Following a missed dunk by Wagner with 6:29 remaining, Oran blew his top again and was ejected with his second technical.

Illinois hit 7 of 8 technical free throws. For the game, the Illini connected on 38 of 52 foul shots.

"It's a little difficult," Illini forward Jerry Hester said of waiting during the free throw parade. "But you have little times like that when you're shooting technicals, you can come over to the bench and talk about things and make a point of it by saying, 'Let's keep our composure.' "

Illinois coach Lon Kruger, who never has been ejected from a game and hasn't had a technical since he's been running the Illini, was proud of his team for handling a ragged game.

"When you cut through all of that (the technicals), I'm really proud of the way our guys played," Kruger said. "I'm pleased with our guys that they maintained that level of concentration."

Playing a smaller, slower Illini team, the Longhorns never could find their focus.

They shot 41 percent from the floor, committed 28 turnovers and top scorers Kris Clack and Luke Axtell were not factors when the game was in doubt. That duo combined for 27 points on 9-of-24 shooting, and the starting five shot 17 for 42.

Even 7-footer Chris Mihm, facing no Illini taller than 6-8, was hampered by foul trouble and managed nine points and 14 rebounds.

Nevertheless, Penders called it a "great game" in his press release.

"I'm proud of the way our kids fought through real adverse circumstances," Penders said. "It's going to help make us a better team."