NORMAL — Senior Mike Renner netted a season-high 27 points Tuesday night to lead the Illineks to a 74-51 conference victory over Normal Calvary Baptist Academy (CBA).

With the win — which broke a three-game losing streak — Uni is now 10-5 overall, 2-1 in the East Central Illinois Conference. CBA falls to 5-9, 1-2.

The outcome was never in really in doubt after Uni built a 26-11 lead in the first quarter. Although the host Crusaders chipped away at the Illinek advantage in the second period, Uni went into halftime ahead 35-25.

The Illineks expanded their lead to 12 points by the end of the third quarter, 55-43. In the fourth period, Uni outscored the Crusaders 19-8 to win by a final margin of 23.

Crucial to Uni's success was the team's perimeter shooting. The Illineks connected on 7 treys, with Renner and sophomore Dan Lilly dropping 3 each. Senior Austin Rundus added the team's other 3-pointer.

Joining Renner in double digits was senior forward Isaac Radnitzer, who scored 14 points on 7 field goals. Renner also had 10 rebounds and 7 assists.

For the Crusaders, Mitch Murray led with 14 points. Grant Touma and Seth Howerton each scored 12, while Touma added 13 rebounds.

By the Gargoyle's unofficial count, Renner has scored 240 points this season, bringing his career total to 1,311 — second on the school's all-time scoring list, just 61 points behind his brother Al, a 2006 graduate.

The younger Renner, who is averaging 16.9 points per game, was commended in today's News-Gazette as one of the area's three "peak performers" during the first half of the prep hoops season. The other two were Chrisman's Jordan Kindred, the area's leading scorer at 25.3 ppg, and Cerro Gordo point guard Drew Minton, who recently scored his 1,000th career point.

The Illineks will be on the road Friday to play a conference game against the DeLand-Weldon Eagles.

THE VARSITY SEASON SO FAR

2007-08 BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 10-5 overall, 2-1 ECIC
(home matches listed in bold)

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

• Story: Uni routs Shiloh in season-opening tournament game
• Leading scorers: Mike Renner 13, Austin Rundus 13
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

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

• Story: Uni faces no trouble in 69-17 win over BCL
• Leading scorer: Chumar Williams 13
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

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

• Story: Uni to play in tournament final after victory over Bement
• Leading scorer: Chumar Williams 21
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

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

• Story: Renner breaks 3-point record as Uni wins Turkey Tourney championship
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 23
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Nov. 30: at Shiloh, W 72-23

• Story: Illineks roll to best start of Beesley era
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 19
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

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

• Story: Payback! Uni defeats St. Thomas More by 18
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 20
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 14: at Oakwood, L 67-54

• Story: Illineks fall to Oakwood in first loss of season
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 16
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 18: Uni JV vs. BCL Varsity, W 40-23 (counts toward Uni's ECIC record only)

• Story: JV defeats BCL varsity to begin conference play
• Leading scorers: Miles Bribriesco 7, Warren Skoza 7
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 27: Heritage (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), W 67-32

• Story: Uni goes 2-0 in first day of holiday tourney
• Leading scorer: Isaac Radnitzer 16
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 27: Georgetown-Ridge Farm (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), W 63-41

• Story: Uni goes 2-0 in first day of holiday tourney
• Leading scorer: Frankie McFarland 17
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 28: Salt Fork (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), L 71-64

• Story: Illineks 3-1 after second day of Hayden's Classic
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 19
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 28: Atwood-Hammond (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), W 59-42

• Story: Illineks 3-1 after second day of Hayden's Classic
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 26
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Dec. 29: Fisher (Hayden's Classic at Bismarck-Henning), L 60-42

• Story: Uni ends tournament with loss to Fisher as illness sidelines Renner
• Leading scorers: Austin Rundus 16, Chumar Williams 16
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Jan. 4: Decatur Christian, L 63-60 (OT)

• Story: Uni loses to Decatur Christian in OT
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 18
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Jan. 5: Lexington, L 51-48

• Story: Illineks fall in second straight home loss
• Leading scorer: Frankie McFarland 14
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

Jan. 8: at Normal Calvary Baptist, W 74-51

• Story: Renner scores 27 to lead Uni over Normal Calvary Baptist
• Leading scorer: Mike Renner 27
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

2007-08 schedule: Click here for the Gargoyle Scoreboard, which includes remaining varsity games.