The Illinois Fighting Illini hosted the Lipscomb Bisons on Thursday and unsurprisingly disposed of them easily, winning 79-64 in front of the home crowd. It's the third win of the season for Illinois, which continues a relatively easy early-season schedule before back-to-game games against Maryland and Gonzaga in December.
Outside of a 2-0 deficit in the game's first two minutes, Illinois had the lead the entire game. They never led by more than five points in the first half, though. Lipscomb cut the lead to just 36-33 early in the second half, but the Illini proceeded to score 14 unanswered points as part of a 27-6 run that essentially put the game out of reach.
Illinois had four players score in double-digits, led by guard D.J. Richardson's 17 points. Sam Maniscalco, Brandon Paul and Joseph Bertrand all scored 11 or more points apiece as well. Lipscomb was led by guards Jacob Arnett and Robert Boyd, who scored 17 and 16 points, respectively. Illinois held Lipscomb to just 32 percent shooting from the field while shooting 52 percent themselves.
For more on the game, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago, and check out Hail to the Orange, SB Nation's Illinois Fighting Illini blog.