Illini thump Loyola
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| Illinois’ Tyler Griffey drives against Loyola’s Ben Averkamp on Friday during the first half in Champaign. The Illini won, 67-49. (Robert K. O'Daniell / AP) |
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CHAMPAIGN – Meyers Leonard came off the bench to score 15 points and had six blocks, and Brandon Paul added 14 points to lead Illinois to a 67-49 season-opening win against Loyola Chicago on Friday.
Leonard, a 7-foot-1 sophomore, had nine points by halftime and hit the first three-pointer of his career for the Illini. Paul overcame a cold-shooting first half in which he scored two points to lead Illinois.
Until the final 10 minutes, the Ramblers kept the game tighter than the Illini and their quiet crowd would have liked.
Midway through the second half, Loyola went on an 11-2 run that pulled the Ramblers to within 38-34 with 11:53 remaining.
Eight of those points came from Walt Gibbler, taking the inside space Illinois gave him for three easy buckets in the paint and a pair of free throws. He finished with a game-high 19 points.
Paul, after his slow first half, then found some touch.
He dribbled inside, hit a layup and drew a foul with 11:22 left. He made the free throw, but on a night when the Illini seldom found their way to the line, the ball bounced on the rim before finally settling into the net.
