For photos from Wednesday's loss, click here.

CHAMPAIGN – Nobody dislikes Penn State. Nobody enters the arena with a grudge ... with a chip on his shoulder ... with anything resembling high emotion.

Not the fans, not the players.

So for the third straight time at the Assembly Hall, Bruce Weber's gang greeted a desperate Nittany Lions team Wednesday night with the dictionary definition of "flat."

Records for ineptness splattered all over the place as Gov. Pat Quinn, in attendance, witnessed a performance more fitting for his predecessor.

The same Illini team that manhandled Purdue 66-48 10 days ago returned home after two erratic road wins and (1) produced two points in the first 7 1/2 minutes, (2) failed to shoot a free throw for the first time in the 47-year history of the Assembly Hall, (3) closed a miserable effort with four points in the last 10 minutes and (4) lost 38-33 in the biggest dud since 1947 when the Whiz Kids, returning from World War II, lost to Minnesota 33-31.

"I've never, ever been in a low-scoring game like this," Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. "For me, this was uncharted water. We set the game back a few years."

Or a few decades. After almost 19 minutes, nobody on either team had more than one field goal. Illini jump-shot opportunities were better, but the lid on the basket was so firm that no Illini garnered more than seven points all night. The combined 29 percent shooting was also an Assembly Hall record.

Simply ugly

This was the 36-point Minnesota slump doubled, the first 38 minutes at Northwestern tripled. Balls twisted in and out or clanged off the back rim. The Illini started 3 for 20 from the field and, mixing in 15 turnovers, finished 2 for 10 minutes.

You could feel it from the beginning as the crowd arrived late for the 6 p.m. tipoff, and the spark of electricity was never quite generated. With the chilly start, the Illini tightened as the game progressed, trailing 13-6 after 12 minutes. Becoming more and more hesitant, the Illini repeatedly ran the 35-second clock down on themselves.

Chester Frazier got the team going with a trey and a steal, bringing Illinois within 17-15 at the break, and his consecutive drive-ins preceded treys by Trent Meacham and Demetri McCamey as Illinois surged ahead 29-20. Somebody should have turned out the lights then and there. The UI offense in the last 10 minutes was comprised of two baskets by Mike Tisdale, and the previously squelched Talor Battle garnered the game's last six points on a layin and four free throws. Penn State won in spite of itself.

Getting defensive

Lost in the mess was a supreme defensive effort in which Penn State's big three – Battle, Jamelle Cornley and Stanley Pringle – were held to 6-for-28 shooting. Illinois was credited with four blocks and had several other apparent deflections.

That will be forgotten. One night after Purdue forced 22 turnovers and defeated Michigan State, the Illini fell two games off the Spartans' Big Ten lead and, at 9-5, in a pack of six teams with a preferred NCAA berth.

Gone, with this embarrassing performance (among others), are the arguments that rampaging Missouri shouldn't be ahead in the Top 25 polls, and that the Big Ten belongs anywhere close to the ACC and Big East in terms of talent. Don't expect a nation of onlookers to view Atlantic Coast and Big East clubs racking 80 and 90 points, and then be impressed by Big Ten scores in the 50s, much less in the 30s.

Illini fans should sit back and be thankful McCamey hit the game-winner at Northwestern. He missed his next 10 shots before connecting in the second half Wednesday. McCamey tried to pull it out again, but Pringle blocked his shot when the score was 34-33, and McCamey missed a difficult three at the end. The two teams finished 6 for 33 from the arc.

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.