Nov. 21, 2006

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Chester Frazier had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists and Illinois held Savannah State to just 10-of-40 shooting Tuesday night on the way to an 81-34 Illini victory.

Illinois stuck with its three-guard lineup but the Tigers started two players under 6-foot, giving the Illini a match-up advantage they used to hold Savannah State in a game-long scoring slump.

Illinois took a 33-11 lead into halftime, then went on a 14-3 run to build a 47-14 advantage with 14:16 to play. By the 10 minute mark, Illinois was up 58-17.

Javon Randolph led the Tigers with 9 points, including 3-of-4 free-throw shooting. Savannah State's tallest player, 6-foot-9 reserve forward Bjorn Bohley, found himself in foul trouble early and scored just three points playing scattered minutes throughout the game.

Illinois opened scoring on a short jumper from sophomore Shaun Pruitt, who stepped up with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Lazarius Coleman made a jump shot to tie it at 2-2 before Illinois went on a 12-point run. Savannah State put one more point on the board when Joseph Flegler split a pair of free throws.

Illinois added five more points, bringing the score to 20-3, before Savannah State made its second shot from the floor - a lay up from Josh Obiajunwa with 7:03 left in the half.

Illinois shot 42.9 percent in the first half, compared to Savannah State's 14.3 percent, and finished at 47 percent from the field for the game.

Illinois' big men kept Savannah State's second chances to a minimum early on, collecting 16 defensive rebounds in the first half compared to the Tigers' 4 offensive boards.

Guard Rich McBride had 16 points, four rebounds and three assists in his first game back for Illinois.