COL BKB: Illinois 67, Cincinnati 45

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Deron Williams scored 18 points Friday night in leading No. 1 Illinois to a convincing 67-45 win over 17th-ranked and previously unbeaten Cincinnati.

The win gave the Fighting Illini (14-0) the Las Vegas Holiday Classic championship.

Illinois is off to its best start in 16 years. The 1988-89 squad opened the season 17-0.

Dee Brown and Roger Powell both had 13 points for Illinois.

The Bearcats had won thto lead top- ranked Illinois to a 67-45 victory over No. 22 Cincinnati in the championship game of the Las Vegas Holiday Classic at the Valley Athletic Complex.

Cincinnati had won its first 11 games of the season. Jason Maxiell led the Bearcats with 12 points.

The contest was one of the leading attractions of the non-conference portion of the college basketball season and was a rematch from the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament -- a game won by Illinois, 92-68.