DaytonDailyNews.com

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — For 4 1/2 minutes Thursday night, Ohio State guard Jamar Butler could do little wrong.

The senior scored 15 straight Buckeye points, turning a one-point deficit into a 12-point lead and sparking Ohio State to a 74-58 win over Illinois in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Butler, a senior and one of the few key pieces left from last season's NCAA-final team, scored 32 points for the game. Afterward, Butler said he hadn't had a similar night in a long time.

"Not since my senior year in high school," he said with a smile.

"We didn't have enough weapons to match Butler," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "Just seemed to get one dagger after another."

Butler, who averaged 14.2 points coming into the game, was 4 of 7 from 3-point range and 10 of 17 from the field. He accounted for almost half of Ohio State's (10-3, 1-0) offense in the first half.

Senior forward Brian Randle led the Illini (8-6, 0-1) with 14 points. Center Shaun Pruitt added 12 points and eight rebounds.

Pruitt scored 10 of his points in the first half as both teams struggled shooting in a physical period that ended with Illinois ahead 30-29.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta said he told his team at halftime to clamp down on Pruitt.

"We said he's 5-for-5," Matta said. "We can't give him the easy shots."

With Pruitt shut down, Illinois' lead quickly melted.

Butler's personal 15-point run included a pair of 3-point shots that gave Ohio State a 51-39 lead.

That was followed closely by two more 3-pointers by Matt Terwilliger. The last one made the score 57-45 with 8:19 to play, and finished the Illini.

"I thought Terwilliger's baskets were huge," Weber said. "Big-time backbreakers for us."

Before Butler took over, neither team had much scoring touch, and the game was close. Illinois and Ohio State were tied seven times in the first half.

Illinois coach Bruce Weber, trying to will offense out of his club, shouted "Attack! Attack!" repeatedly from the bench.

"I was just trying to get some energy and some life, get our guys to be aggressive," Weber said.

Illinois held 7-foot center Kosta Koufos, the Buckeyes' leading score coming into the game, to eight points.

That left an opening for Butler.

Matta said he hadn't challenged Butler to take over the team this season, despite the guard's decision to return.

"It wasn't, 'Jamar, you have to do these things,'" Matta said. "It was, 'Be yourself.'"

Illinois, a loser in four of its last seven, hosts Penn State Sunday before going on the road to face No. 25 Wisconsin and No. 11 Indiana.