CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Malcolm Hill made sure Illinois didnt step off the gas pedal Friday night so that the Illini could took care of business against Detroit Mercy, 89-69.The senior, who scored 25 points, led his team to a quick start after the intermission, when his team was up 39-30 and it seemed like the Titans would close the gap even more.Im always in an aggressive attack more, but this was one of those games where I needed to start strong in the second half, Hill said.Illinois (4-0) continued its strong start to the season in the opening game of the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament.The Illini had little trouble scoring, shooting 27of 52 from the field and 8 of 19 from 3-point range. Friday marked the second straight game the Illini had difficulty shooting from the free throw line however, finishing 27of 38.Tracy Abrams continued to have a strong return to basketball, scoring 15 points and finishing with four rebounds, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range.Groce knows the importance a balanced offense can have on his team.If you can have a balance of paint touches with that outside shooting, it puts opponents in dilemmas, Groce said.Detroit Mercy (1-2) had trouble keeping up with Illinois fast offensive pace from the start of the game. The Titans never led.Josh McFolley and Jaleel Hogan both led the way with 16 points for a team that finished shooting 43 percent from the field and 24 percent from beyond the arc.The Titans fell behind in most categories against the Illini, but Detroit Mercy head coach Bacari Alexander felt Illinois won the game down in the post, where the Illini won the rebound battle 39-29.They took advantage of those opportunities (in the post), Alexander said. (But) I like the direction this team is going in.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Illini have played as they should against the type of opponents theyve faced so far this year. The team has one game left against relatively easy competition before facing No. 19 West Virginia at the Barclays Center in New York.Detroit Mercy: Although the game was never really close after the first few minutes, the Titans found some scoring opportunities and will need to continue to do that in the rest of the tournament.ROLE PLAYERGroce thought bench player D.J. Williams had his best overall performance of the year. The sophomore wing scored six points.LETDOWNAfter a strong start to the season, center Maverick Morgan had his worst night of the season, finishing with six points and zero rebounds and fouling out with more than five minutes left in the game.UP NEXTIllinois will continue play in the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament when it hosts Winthrop in Champaign on Monday.Detroit Mercy will try to bounce back Monday when it travels to Florida State to play its second game in the NIT Season Tip-Off.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.orgDaniele Rugani Jersey .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Gianluigi Buffon Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Carlo-Pinsoglio-Jersey/ .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. Sami Khedira Jersey . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Joao Cancelo Jersey . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Geelong coach Chris Scott wont throw Mark Blicavs into the ruck as the utility attempts to rediscover his career-best AFL form.Blicavs is one of a handful of Cats who have dropped off in recent weeks, coinciding with the clubs slide down the ladder.The reigning best and fairest will be desperate to lift ahead of finals, starting with Saturdays home match against Adelaide.Blicavs has played no shortage of roles in his 82-game career in the hoops.Scott acknowledges there is an argument the former steeplechaser is at his best as a mobile ruckman.But Scott knows with Zac Smith and Rhys Stanley in the same side it will be hard for Blicavs to contest many centre bounces this year.The combination of Smith and Stanley in the ruck for us has been a positive so we wont be weakening that strength to try and improve Mark a little bit, Scott said.If it was a situation where he was playing poorly in the position that we were choosing him to play in, wedd move him.ddddddddddddWe dont think its that. We just think there are small parts at the margin with his game that hes not quite doing as well as he can.But hes still played some really good footy for us this year.Scott backed Blicavs, who joined the club as a rookie and dedicated himself to the sport after failing to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, to rediscover his best.He sets a high standard for himself. Hes a best and fairest winner now and he hasnt quite reached those levels this year, he said.With the way he works and the way we think our team is building, were confident he will reach those levels again.The Cats made two changes for their clash with the Crows, recalling 2007 Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel and young defender Jed Bews in place of Lachie Henderson (concussion) and Jordan Murdoch (dropped). 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