Richardson Helps Illinois Hold Off Lipscomb 79-64

November 17, 2011 10:30 PM

D.J. Richardson #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks to pass while being defended by JaJuan Johnson #25 of the Purdue Boilermakers at Assembly Hall on February 13, 2011 in Champaign, Illinois. Purdue defeated Illinois 81-70. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

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Illinois Fighting Illini, Sports

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) – 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.

Sam Maniscalco added 15 for Illinois.

Jacob Arnett led Lipscomb with 17.