For the second game in a row, the No. 14 Illinois men's basketball team jumped out to a 12-0 lead. Unlike Tuesday's 70-51 loss to Providence in Madison Square Garden, this time the Illini remained in control.

In front of the home fans at Assembly Hall, the Illini defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore 85-43 Thursday.

"We knew they were going to come out with a lot of aggression," Maryland-Eastern Shore head coach Thomas Trotter said. "They jumped out on Providence the same they did us, so I still had a lot of hope after that. But they kept going against us."

The Illini survived beating Maryland-Eastern Shore, but not without losing sophomore guard Deron Williams to injury. Williams sustained a broken jaw when he ran into a screen set by the Hawks' 6-foot-11-inch, 285 pound junior center Jason McKinnon. The incident occurred near half court with 18:57 remaining in the second half. Williams was immediately taken out of the game.

Williams will go through outpatient surgery today and there is no timetable yet for his return.

"Everyone feels good that he will be back for Big Ten play," Assistant Athletic Director Kent Brown said.

The Illini kept the Hawks scoreless until they built a 16-0 lead. Illinois would eventually turn their advantage into a 45-point lead in the second half, but most of the fans had deserted Assembly Hall when the Illini took an 83-38 lead with 3 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the second half.

Illinois used a small line-up to get out to their fast start Thursday. Illinois head coach Bruce Weber gave 6-foot-3-inch junior guard Luther Head his first start of the season replacing 7-foot-2-inch junior center Nick Smith.

Smith started the last four games for Illinois.

"I started Luther to get him a jolt," Weber said. "We put the lob play in right away to get him started. Nothing against Nick, it's purely matchups."

A lob play on Illinois' first possession got Head started toward a night of 16 points on 5-for-8 field goal shooting and 2-for-3 on three-point shots.

Sophomore forward James Augustine won the tip-off and the team quickly positioned to get Head early success.

Williams received a pass on the right wing beyond the three-point line.

Seeming to look away from the basket, Williams lofted the ball with two hands toward the rim's left side. Head went up until his head was above the rim.

He grabbed the ball and his dunk ended any fear that Illinois could struggle against another team from the East Coast.

"It's good to see Luther get out there and play the way he can," sophomore guard Dee Brown said. "I think as the season goes along he will be a better player."

Brown continues to struggle. Thursday's game was his third game in the last four with single digit scoring. Brown scored eight points, making only three of the 10 field goals he attempted.

Two of Brown's baskets were lay-ups on fast break opportunities, and the other basket was a three-point shot.

"I'm not down on myself; all the fans are down on me," Brown said. "If we continue to win and I have six points that's fine.

"I'm just going to have to do it on the defensive end right now."

Part of Brown's struggles in the first half resulted from a screen near half court that he did not see coming, less than two minutes into the game.

"Really, I couldn't see in the first half," Brown said giving reason for his four first-half turnovers. "I was just throwing the ball. I was mad at myself. I hate turnovers more than anything else. I've just got to work on taking care of the ball."

Brown took care of the ball better in the second half by not committing any turnovers.

Despite the four turnovers, Brown passed the ball around to record six assists as his contribution to Illinois' 20th consecutive win in Assembly Hall.

The Illini will go for win No. 21 hosting Memphis on Saturday.

"The only thing I talked about was making improvement," Weber said. "We've got to move forward."