dd That decision has sparked vocal complaints from several

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.org Cheap Air Max China . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Cheap Air Max Wholesale . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. http://www.wholesaleairmax.net/ . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. Wholesale Air Max China . 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. Cheap Wholesale Air Max . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. RIO DE JANEIRO -- A female Chinese swimmer has tested positive for a banned substance at the Rio Olympics, Chinas swimming association said early Friday. She is the first competitor in the sport to fail a test at these Games.The Chinese Swimming Association said Chen Xinyi tested positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide after she finished fourth in the womens 100-meter butterfly Sunday, missing a bronze medal by nine one-hundredths of a second. Xinhua, Chinas official state news agency, reported the story Friday.The 18-year-old was scheduled to compete in the 50-meter freestyle beginning Friday.Chen has applied to the International Olympic Committee to have her B sample tested and to get a hearing on the matter, Xinhua said, citing the swimming association.The CSA has taken this matter seriously and demanded full cooperation from Chen in the investigation, the association said in the statement quoted by Xinhua.Chens result comes after doping has been a major concern in the Rio Games. Seven Russian swimmers have been allowed to compete in Rio after initially being banned following allegations of a statee-sponsored doping operation in their homeland.dddddddddddd That decision has sparked vocal complaints from several swimmers, most notably American Lilly King.No statement about Chens reported test was posted to the website of the Chinese Swimming Association, and calls to its offices rang unanswered Friday. FINA, the international governing body of swimming, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Chens teammate Wang Shun declined to comment after he won bronze in Thursdays 200-meter individual medley.This situation, I dont know the details, Wang said.Li Keke, a spokeswoman for Chinas national anti-doping agency, said she had no additional information on the Chen case.We have noticed media reports about the case. So far, the anti-doping agency has yet to receive any official confirmation, Li told The Associated Press.This reported test should be generated by the organizer. The Olympic committee and FINA should know about it. At present, we will continue to monitor. ' ' '