CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Will Riley made a remarkable impression in his collegiate debut, scoring 26 of his 31 points during the second half as the University of Illinois triumphed over Eastern Illinois with a commanding score of 112-67 on Monday night.

Riley was on fire late in the game, contributing to Illinois’ scoring efforts significantly by netting 15 of the team’s final 17 points. His performance included a streak of 12 consecutive points, which propelled the lead to an impressive 41 points. Over just 25 minutes of play, he showcased his shooting prowess with 10 successful field goals out of 13 attempts, including an outstanding 5 of 6 from beyond the arc, along with 6 of 7 from the free-throw line.

In addition to his overall scoring skills, Riley’s second-half contributions featured four successful three-pointers, one of which was a dramatic four-point play with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

This victory marks Illinois’ ninth consecutive win in their season opener, a trend that began back in 2016 with an 81-62 win against Southeast Missouri. Consistently, the Fighting Illini have opened their seasons against Eastern Illinois for the past three years.

Illinois is currently positioned just outside the Top 25 in the preseason polls, receiving the highest number of points, totaling 92, among teams that are unranked.

In supporting roles, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 21 points along with four successful three-pointers, helping the team to achieve a shooting percentage of 38% from three-point range, with a total of 16 made shots. Additionally, players Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic each contributed 14 points to the overall effort.

On the Eastern Illinois side, the leading scorer was Nakyel Shelton, who managed to put up 16 points despite the team’s overall struggle during the game.