CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Talk about a way to start the season.
In their first competition of the 2018-19 season, the Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the Evansville Purple Aces by a score of 99-60 on Thursday night at the State Farm Center.
It was an all-around complete effort by the Illini (1-0) tonight. Five guys finished in double figures, Giorgi Bezhanishvili pulled down 10 boards, Trent Frazier dished out seven assists, and Ayo Dosunmu finished with three steals. The defense forced 25 turnovers and held the Purple Aces to just 38 percent shooting from the field.