URBANA — Uni won its first conference game of the season as the junior varsity picked up a 40-23 win over the Buckley Christ Lutheran varsity Tuesday night at Kenney Gym.

The game counts as an East Central Illinois Conference win for Uni but does not count toward the varsity's overall record. The varsity's ECIC record is 1-0, and the JV is now 3-3 on the season.

The Illineks struggled for the first three quarters, trailing 18-17 going into the final quarter. But Uni would finish the game on a 23-5 run in the fourth quarter, en route to a commanding 17-point victory.

Sophomore Miles Bribriesco and freshman Warren Skoza led the Illineks with 7 points apiece. Bribriesco made the team's only trey. Sophomores Nile Hamer, Costas Cangellaris, and Neil Pearson added 6 points each. Hamer and Pearson also play for the varsity.

Rounding out the scoring for the Illineks were freshmen Will Fernandez and Seth Bull with 4 and 3 points, respectively, and sophomore Nick Zukoski with 1.

Back on Nov. 20, the Uni varsity defeated BCL in a 69-17 mismatch.

The varsity (6-1 overall) will not play again until Dec. 27, when the Illineks face Heritage (1 p.m.) and Georgetown-Ridge Farm (6:30 p.m.) on the first day of the three-day Hayden's Classic. Both games will be played at Heritage High School. (Click here for directions.)

The JV next plays Jan. 4 against Decatur Christian at Kenney Gym.