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LAHAINA >> Tournament MVP Brandon Paul scored 20 points to lead Illinois to its first EA Sports Maui Invitational championship, 78-61 over Butler tonight at the Lahaina Civic Center.
Tracy Abrams added 17 points and D.J. Richardson and Tyler Griffey had 14 apiece for Illinois (6-0), which won by double figures in each of three games in the tourney after scraping by in overtime at Hawaii last Friday.
Butler (3-2) trailed by 11 at halftime and got within 49-44, but no closer. UI forward Tyler Griffey hit two back-breaking 3-pointers to open the game up.
Rotnei Clarke led Butler with 27 points, but no other Bulldog scored more than eight.
