Illinois 70, Richmond 61: Leonard powers Illini

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Meyers Leonard scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked five shots, and Illinois used a dominant first half to earn a 70-61 victory Tuesday against Richmond at the Cancun (Mexico) Challenge.

Sam Maniscalco added 19 points and D.J. Richardson 15 for the Illini (4-0), who opened a 37-19 halftime before tailing off a bit in the second half. The Spiders (3-2) outscored
Illinois 42-33 after the break.

The Illini will face Illinois State at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Redbirds earned a game against their intrastate rivals with a 76-70 victory against Rutgers.

Darien Brothers led Richmond with 22 points, including six three-pointers.