>> Illini Hold Off Lipscomb
D.J. Richardson scored 17 points, and Illinois used a 14-0 second-half run to put away Lipscomb 79-64 Thursday in the second round of the Cancun Challenge.
Illinois (3-0) survived the first half mostly without their 7-foot-1-inch big man, Meyers Leonard. The sophomore sat after picking up his second foul less than two minutes into the game and didn't return until the second half.
Illinois struggled without him. Lipscomb (1-2) tied the game 19-19 on a Zavion Williams jumper midway through the second half and trailed 33-26 at halftime.
With Leonard back, Illinois put together its run. Baskets by Brandon Paul and Nnanna Egwu finished it off and made the score 50-33 with 12:13 left.
NCAA Top-25 Men's Basketball (ESPN/"USA Today" Rankings)
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#4 Connecticut Huskies 80, Main Black Bears 60
#8 Florida Gators 91, North Florida Ospreys 55
#15 Alabama Crimson Tide 62, Maryland Terrapins 42 (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
#16 Arizona Wildcats 81, St. John's Red Storm 72 (2K Sports Classic)
#17 Michigan Wolverines 59, Western Illinois Leathernecks 55
Mississippi State Bulldogs 69, #18 Texas A&M Aggies 60 (2K Sports Classic)
#25 Missouri Tigers 83, Niagara Purple Eagles 52 (CBE Classic)
NCAA Top-25 Men's Basketball (ESPN/"USA Today" Rankings)
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9:00 p.m. - #3 Ohio State Buckeyes host Jackson State Tigers
6:00 p.m. - #6 Duke Blue Devils host Davidson Wildcats
7:00 p.m. - #14 Xavier Musketeers host Miami (OH) RedHawks
9:00 p.m. - #15 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Wichita State Shockers (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
6:30 p.m. - #16 Arizona Wildcats vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2K Sports Classic)
4:30 p.m. - #18 Texas A&M Aggies vs St. John's Red Storm (2K Sports Classic)
8:30 p.m. - #19 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Winthrop Eagles (Paradise Jam at U.S. Virgin Islands)
>>Illini Close Out Home Schedule
(Champaign, IL) -- Illinois takes the field at Memorial Stadium for the final time this year on Saturday. The Illini host number-17 Wisconsin. Illinois has lost four straight after opening the season 6-and-0. The Fighting Illini end the year on the road against Minnesota.
Sam Maniscalco added 15 for Illinois.
NCAA Top-25 Football (BCS Standings)
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#8 Virginia Tech Hokies 24, North Carolina Tar Heels 21
UAB Blazers 34, #20 Southern Miss Golden Eagles 31
NCAA Top-25 Football (BCS Standings)
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8:00 p.m. - #2 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State Cyclones
