LDN - Sports

Illinois makes 16 3-pointers in 112-65 victory

[November 16, 2016] Illinois tied a school record with 16 3-pointers as the Fighting Illini overwhelmed Division II McKendree University 112-65 on Tuesday night at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill.

Sophomore guard Jalen Coleman-Lands (18 points) drilled 6 of 9 from 3-point range to share team-high scoring honors with senior center Maverick Morgan. Sophomore forward Michael Finke added 17 points and sixth-year guard Tracy Abrams notched 14 points for Illinois (3-0).

Sophomore guard Nate Michael, the son of former Illinois sharpshooter Tom Michael, paced McKendree (1-1) with 25 points. Junior swingman Justin Blanks added 17 points while redshirt freshman center Nolan Gerling contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Illinois controlled matters from the start as it scored the game's first seven points and built a 55-32 halftime lead. The Illini didn't need much from senior All-American candidate Malcolm Hill, who stacked up a career-high 40 points Sunday against Northern Kentucky. Hill posted three points in 23 minutes as he shot 1 for 7 from the field.

The Illini shot 55.7 percent from the floor, which included a 16 for 28 effort from 3-point range. In addition to Coleman-Lands' sterling showing, Abrams canned all four of his 3-point tries and sophomore guard Aaron Jordan hit 3 of 5 from long range.

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Illinois reached the 100-point mark on Jordan's 3-pointer from the left wing with 5:20 to play. The 112 points marked the program's highest total since a 114-56 victory over Coppin State on Nov. 16, 2014.

The game marked Illinois' first non-exhibition game against McKendree and its legendary coach, Harry Statham. The former Illinois graduate assistant ranks as college basketball's all-time leader in wins at a four-year school with 1,102, but his young squad had no chance to add to that total Tuesday.

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