CHICAGO (WTAJ) — Penn State men’s basketball beat Illinois 79-76 in the second round of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday.

The tenth-seeded Nittany Lions beat the seventh-seeded Illini for the third time this season.

  • Penn State’s Kanye Clary (0) intercepts a pass for Illinois’s Terrence Shannon Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
  • Penn State’s Kanye Clary drives too the basket as Illinois’s Sencire Harris defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
  • Penn State’s Jalen Pickett (22) shoots over Illinois’s Luke Goode during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
  • Penn State’s Seth Lundy drives to the basket between Illinois’s Sencire Harris (1) and Ty Rodgers during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
  • Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry gestures toward a referee during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
  • Penn State’s Andrew Funk shoots as head coach Micah Shrewsberry watches during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. Penn State won 79-76. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
  • Penn State’s Jalen Pickett (22) celebrates after scoring and getting fouled during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois at the Big Ten men’s tournament, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Chicago. Penn State won 79-76. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Seventeen of Andrew Funk’s 20 points came in the second half. Seth Lundy had 17 points and ten rebounds for the Nittany Lions, while Cam Wynter added 18 and Jalen Pickett 12.

Illinois lead 31-30 at the half, but Penn State lead by as many as 12 in the second half.

The Nittany Lions will play Northwestern in the quarterfinals. Tipoff is Friday at approximately 6:30.