CHAMPAIGN, Ill., March 23 (UPI) -- Mike Tisdale scored 17 points Monday to pace Illinois to a 75-58 victory over Kent State in a second-round National Invitational Tournament game.
Tisdale hauled down seven rebounds, center Mike Davis scored 16 and collected 16 boards and Demetri McCamey added 15 points and 10 assists as the top-seeded Illini (20-14) advanced to face Dayton in Wednesday's NIT semifinals.
The Illini and the fourth-seeded Golden Flash began the second half knotted at 31-31 but Davis' slam with 15:45 remaining in the second half capped an 8-0 Illinois run at the start of the second half. D.J. Richardson's trey with 7:55 remaining put the Illini up by 13 at 61-48 and essentially sealed the win.
Kent State (24-9) got 15 points and seven rebounds from Justin Greene, the only Golden Flash to reach double figures in the loss.
