CHICAGO (AP) -- Zavion Neely scored a career-high 19 points and K.C. Robbins had a double-double Saturday in Illinois-Chicago's 72-59 victory over Illinois-Springfield. Robbins, a 6-foot-11, 270-pound junior college transfer making his Division I debut, had 12 points and 13 rebounds in the season opener for both teams. The Maine native nearly had his double-double by halftime, with eight points and nine rebounds. Robo Kreps, the Flames' top returning scorer, had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. UIC built a 14-point lead by ending the first half on a 15-5 run. The Flames never looked back, going ahead by as many as 22 in the second half. Richard Oruche led the Prairie Stars with 14 points. UIC was without senior starters Jeremy Buttell and Kris Harris, who were serving one-game suspensions for violating team rules. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
