CHICAGO (AP) — Labaron Philon scored 24 points, and No. 11 Alabama beat eighth-ranked Illinois 90-86 at the United Center on Wednesday night.

Philon made three 3-pointers and had five assists. Taylor Bol Bowen scored 12 and Aden Holloway finished with 11 points, helping the Crimson Tide (3-1) squeeze out a tight win in their third straight game against a top-10 team. They bounced back from a loss to Purdue that came on the heels of a victory over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, though they sure got all they could handle in this one.

Andrej Stojakovic led Illinois (4-1) with 26 points, and Kylan Boswell had 22.

Alabama was clinging to a 79-76 lead when Philon pulled up for a 3 with 1:15 remaining, but Illinois stayed in it, with Boswell responding with a three-point play.

After Phi

See Full Page