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Illini Cruise Past Coppin State

 width=>>Illini Hit Cruise Early, Race Past Coppin State

After a close contest against Georgia Southern in its season opener, Illinois blew out Coppin State 114-56 on Sunday.

The Illini (2-0) opened the game red-hot from the field, shooting 60 percent in the first half.

Ahmad Starks and Leron Black led the Illini in points with 18 each, while Malcolm Hill added 13 points and nine rebounds.

After Coppin State (0-2) hit a three to open the scoring, Illinois went on a 16-0 run and never looked back.

The Illini started 0-for-3 from the field but made 15 of their next 16 shots to put the game out of reach early in the first half.

The 114 points are the most that the Illini have scored under Groce in a non-exhibition game. The previous high was 94, set on Nov. 19, 2012 against USC.

 width=>>Utah State Tops Illinois State Sunday

David Collette scored 17 points and Darius Perkins added 14 as Utah State rallied in the second half for a 60-55 victory over Illinois State on Sunday.

The Aggies, who trailed by seven at halftime, took their first lead, 41-40, on a 3-pointer by JoJo McGlaston. That basket was part of a 10-0 run that gave the Aggies an eight-point advantage. The Redbirds responded with a 13-2 run to lead 53-50 with 3:25 left.

Three-pointers by McGlaston and Chris Smith gave USU a 56-53 lead. DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell scored a basket for ISU's final points before the Aggies made four free throws in the final minute.

The Aggies (2-0) returned no starters from last year's team. The game was the opener for ISU, which has four of five starters back.

Daishon Knight led the Redbirds with 17 points. Akoon-Purcell, junior college transfer, had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

NCAA Top-25 Men's Basketball ("USA Today" Rankings)
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#1 Kentucky Wildcats 71, Buffalo Bulls 52
#2 Arizona Wildcats 86, CS Northridge Matadors 68
#3 Wisconsin Badgers 89, Chattanooga Mocs 45
#6 North Carolina Tar Heels 103, Robert Morris Colonials 59
#9 Virginia Cavaliers 67, Norfolk State Spartans 39
#10 Texas Longhorns 85, Alcorn State Braves 53
#19 Oklahoma Sooners 78, Southeast Louisiana Lions 53
#21 Nebraska Cornhuskers 80 Northern Kentucky Norse 61
#23 Syracuse Orange 65, Hampton Pirates
Holy Cross Crusaders 58, #25 Harvard Crimson 57

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