URBANA — It was a tale of two halves at Kenney Gym tonight as the Illineks avenged last year’s 22-point loss to St. Thomas More with a 63-45 victory over the Sabers.

The win raises the team's record to 6-0, just one victory shy of matching the best start ever by a Uni boys varsity basketball team. The Illineks can tie that mark with a road victory Saturday against Fisher.

“I thought it was great that we battled back,” said head coach Joel Beesley. “We were cold shooting in the first half and battled back to play very sound basketball in the second half.”

St. Thomas More took the early lead, jumping ahead 8-1. It was the first time all season that Uni had trailed for an extended period of time.

Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half, as Uni led only 11-10 after the first quarter and 21-20 at the half.

But something changed at halftime. Whatever inspired the Illineks, it worked. After the Sabers took a 26-25 lead, Uni found its rhythm. Senior Mike Renner, the Uni career leader in 3-pointers, hit back-to-back treys at the start of a 14-0 run.

The Illineks took a 44-28 lead into the fourth quarter on a jump shot by senior Frankie McFarland that barely beat the buzzer. The ruling was met with hostility by the St. Thomas More fans in attendance, but the call stood.

After that, the Sabers found the obstacle too much to overcome, and Uni shot 12 free throws in an anticlimactic fourth quarter to seal out the victory. All six of Uni's games have been won by double-digits.

Renner led all scorers with 20 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. McFarland added 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Senior Chumar Williams added 11 points and dished out 7 assists.

If the Illineks can defeat Fisher this weekend, they will tie the school record for most wins to start a boys basketball season.

Uni teams have begun 7-0 only three times: in 1943-44 (24-4 final record), 1939-40 (16-7), and 1938-39 (14-7).

However, Beesley isn’t taking a win over Fisher for granted.

“[A Uni record] would be pretty nice,” said Beesley, “but we’re looking at Fisher — a really good basketball team. Fisher is a hard place to play. Every game is new, the challenges are new, and so at Fisher, we have to step up.”

In junior varsity action, the Uni JV fell to the Saber JV 59-18. The Illineks are now 2-2.

MORE PHOTOS: UNI VS. ST. THOMAS MORE

Senior guard Chumar Williams looks for an open teammate against visiting St. Thomas More. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Senior forward Isaac Radnitzer fights for possession in the second half of Uni's sixth straight win of the season. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Head coach Joel Beesley addresses his team during a timeout against St. Thomas More. Uni is off to the best start in Beesley's 13 years as varsity coach. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

THE SEASON SO FAR

2007-08 BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 6-0 overall, 0-0 East Central Illinois Conference
(home matches listed in bold)

Nov. 19: Shiloh (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 80-32

• Story: Uni routs Shiloh in season-opening tournament game
• Points: Mike Renner 13, Austin Rundus 13, Chumar Williams 12, Isaac Radnitzer 12, Frankie McFarland 11
• Rebounds: McFarland 7, Renner 6, Ammar Rizwan 5
• Assists: Williams 11
• JV game: Bement 26 - Uni 25
• JV record: 0-1, 0-0

Nov. 20: Buckley Christ Lutheran (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 69-17

• Story: Uni faces no trouble in 69-17 win over BCL
• Points: Chumar Williams 13, Isaac Radnitzer 12, Mike Renner 11, Alan Kessler 11
• JV game: Uni 36 - Shiloh 15
• JV record: 1-1, 0-0

Nov. 23: Bement (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 73-59

• Story: Uni to play in tournament final after victory over Bement
• Points: Chumar Williams 21, Austin Rundus 15, Mike Renner 13
• Rebounds: Rundus 8
• Assists: Williams 8
• JV game: none
• JV record: 1-1, 0-0

Nov. 24: Martinsville (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney championship game), W 74-43

• Story: Renner breaks 3-point record as Uni wins Turkey Tourney championship
• Points: Mike Renner 23 (four 3-pointers), Chumar Williams 16, Isaac Radnitzer 8, Frankie McFarland 8
• Rebounds: Renner 5, Radnitzer 5
• Assists: Renner 8, Williams 6
• Steals: Williams 4
• JV game: none
• JV record: 1-1, 0-0

Nov. 30: at Shiloh, W 72-23

• Story: Illineks roll to best start of Beesley era
• Points: Mike Renner 19 (two 3-pointers, 1-2 FT), Austin Rundus 12 (two 3-pointers, 4-5 FT), Isaac Radnitzer 10, Alan Kessler 9 (5-8 FT), Dan Lilly 6, Ammar Rizwan 5 (1-1 FT), Malcolm Taylor 5 (3-4 FT), Frankie McFarland 4 (0-2 FT), Chumar Williams 2
• Rebounds: Radnitzer 9, Kessler 7, McFarland 4, Renner 2, Rundus 2, Lilly 2, Rizwan 2, Taylor 2
• Assists: Renner 2, Rundus 2, Radnitzer 2, Lilly 2, Williams 2, Taylor 1
• Blocks: Hamer 2, Renner 1, Radnitzer 1
• Steals: Renner 4, Lilly 3, Rundus 2, Radnitzer 1, Kessler 1, Williams 1
• JV game: Uni def. Shiloh 33-27
• JV record: 2-1, 0-0

Dec. 4: St. Thomas More, W 63-45

• Story: see above
• Point leaders: Mike Renner 20, Frankie McFarland 12, Chumar Williams 11
• Rebound leader: McFarland 10
• Assist leader: Williams 7
• JV game: 59-18
• JV record: 2-2, 0-0

Next game: Saturday at Fisher. The JV game will begin at 6 p.m., followed by varsity action. Click here for directions to Fisher High.

2007-08 schedule: Click here for the Gargoyle Scoreboard.