NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Demetri McCamey scored 23 points as Illinois defeated Vanderbilt 69-63 on Thursday night.
McCamey?s layup broke a tie with 6:22 remaining and started a 7-0 run that put the Illini (3-0) in front to stay.
Vanderbilt (1-1) tied the game at 58 on a free throw by A.J. Ogilvy with 6:56 remaining, but then was held scoreless until Andre Walker made a layup and a foul shot with 2:13 to play.
The Commodores made just 13 of 21 free throws (61.9 percent) in the game. Jermaine Beal made a pair of free throws with 1:38 left that got the Commodores within two points. Beal then missed a game-tying layup with 22 seconds to go.
Illinois was a perfect 11-for-11 from the line, including two each by Trent Meacham and Chester Frazier in the final 20 seconds.
