CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Tracy Abrams proved that he was back to top shape -- or even better -- when he scored a career-high 31 points and led Illinois in a 92-73 drubbing of Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon.Abrams scored 23 points in the first half and finished 7 of 8 from 3-point range on a day when he scored his 1,000th career point with Illinois (8-3).Its been a long road for the guard from Chicago who missed the last two seasons with knee injuries. Despite the difficult journey, Abrams had a priority for whom to credit for his on-court success.My teammates for giving me the ball and just the hard work, being in the gym a lot. Abrams said. It just shows that hard work pays off.Illinois shot at or above 50 percent from the field in the first 10 minutes, but a six-minute Central Michigan scoring drought allowed Illinois to go on a 23-3 run and lead by as many as 19 points in the first half.Leron Black played another compete game from the bench, scoring a career-high 21 points.Illinois played its last nonconference game at home of the season, a game in which coach John Groce thought his team continued to grow and find its identity.It was our most complete performance of the season, Groce said. I think its something that we can build upon.Marcus Keene led Central Michigan (8-3) with 25 points and Braylon Rayson added 18.Illinois won the rebound battle 49-25 and outscored the Chippewas in the paint 34-14.We had great attitude, great effort and just got beat by an ever-improving Illinois team, Central Michigan coach Keno Davis said. They were able to expose the weakness of being not as physical, big and strong as they are.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Fighting Illini continue to win during a critical stretch of the season. Two more nonconference wins against BYU and Missouri will help the Illinis tournament resume before the start of Big Ten play.Central Michigan: The Chippewas lost arguably their hardest game of the season. Central Michigan will have a nice break before playing the last two nonconference games of the season.STAR WATCHMalcolm Hill was held scoreless in the first half but finished with 10 points and five rebounds.STAT OF THE NIGHTIllinois held Central Michigan to its lowest first-half points total of the season at 36.ROLE PLAYERD.J. Williams continued to gain more playing time after sitting out two of the previous four games. The sophomore finished with two points and five rebounds in 18 minutes.UP NEXTIllinois will have the week of before the team travels to Chicago to play BYU in the State Farm Chicago Legends game.Central Michigan has an extended break before returning back to action at Montana State on Dec. 21.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.orgDaryl Johnston Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Tony Dorsett Jersey . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. http://www.shoptheofficialcowboys.com/Elite-Troy-Aikman-Cowboys-Jersey/ . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Tony Romo Jersey . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Randy White Jersey . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Wisconsin?basketball player?Nigel Hayes made a bold statement during ESPNs College GameDay visit to Madison on Saturday, carrying a sign asking people to send money to an online account.Hayes told ESPN that he wanted to create conversation about compensation for college athletes. All funds will be given to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, according to Hayes.The Badgers star said hes using a friends account on Venmo -- the company describes itself as a digital wallet that?lets you make and share payments with others -- and never intended to make money for himself.Obviously, me accepting money is illegal, he told ESPN. Therefore, I used my friends account. And as I said, all proceeds will be going to the Boys & Girls Club. The sign was strictly to generate conversation.?Hayes told ESPNs Darren Rovell his action was simply the electronic equivalent of what he did earlier in the season at Wisconsins Camp Randall Stadium, where he campaigned for donations for charity.Hayes has previously spoken out about the NCAA and Big Tens financial treatment of student-athletes. On Friday, he sent a series of tweets comparing the revenuee taken in for college athletics to the value of his scholarship.ddddddddddddHe followed up Saturday by saying student-athletes deserve more than their current stipends, and that each institution -- not the NCAA -- should have the power to pay its athletes appropriate compensation.Allowing the schools to decide payment would be the best option,?he said.Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett posted support for Hayes message on Instagram, saying it takes courage to do something like this.This conversation will continue to be had. Its my hopes that one day ALL college kids decide to sit out of sport and school until someone negotiates new circumstances for them, Clarett wrote. When you disrupt the money you get peoples attention.Hayes, a senior, was named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season. Wisconsin opens its regular season Nov. 11 against Central Arkansas.Information from ESPN.coms Myron Medcalf was used in this report. ' ' '