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  Friday, Dec. 29 8:00pm ET
Illinois 77, Illinois Chi 64
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

ROSEMONT, Illinois (Ticker) -- Marcus Griffin scored 21 points and Robert Archibald added career bests of 16 and 12 rebounds off the bench as sixth-ranked Illinois bounced back from a loss with a 77-64 triumph over Illinois-Chicago.

Griffin made 7-of-12 shots and fell three points short of his career high. The 6-11, 250-pound Archibald, two inches taller and 36 pounds heavier than Illinois-Chicago's biggest player, did most of his damage inside. He made 3-of-4 shots and 10-of-12 free throws.

Illinois (10-3) was playing for the first time since Saturday's 72-64 loss at Texas. The Fighting Illini have won the last eight meetings with their sister school and lead the all-time series, 10-1.

Illini guard Cory Bradford was held to eight points but hit a pair of 3-pointers to extend his NCAA record to 77 consecutive with at least one shot from behind the arc.

Jon-Pierre Mitchom had 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench and Jordan Kardos added 15 points for UIC (6-6). The Flames were outscored in the paint, 34-22.

Griffin made a pair of free throws to cap a 9-0 burst and give the Illini a 13-4 lead five minutes into the contest. Illinois did not let the Flames trim the margin uunder four points thereafter and took a 39-31 advantage into the locker room.

Joel Bullock, who scored 10 points, made two free throws to pull Illinois-Chicago within 41-33 with 18:43 to play. Frank Williams, who shot just 4-of-12, responded with a 3-pointer nine seconds later. Kardos sank a jumper to cut it to 44-35 with 18 minutes left, but Williams hit a basket at the other end and the Flames did not get the margin under double digits the rest of the way.

The Illini's biggest lead was 63-43 on a pair of free throws by Brian Cook with 6:40 to go.

 


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