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Illini great BonSalle dies

Illinois basketball great George BonSalle has died.

He was 80.

According to an obituary that appeared in the Miami Herald, BonSalle passed away Monday at his home in South Miami.

A three-year starter at center, the Chicago big man led Illinois to a Top 10 national ranking in 1955-56, averaging 19.5 points en route to first-team All-Big Ten honors. In 1956-57 — when he was a senior — BonSalle was declared ineligible midway through the season, derailing a Big Ten title quest for a team that also featured Harv Schmidt, Roger Taylor and Don Ohl. Bon Salle played 14 games that season, averaging 19.