Efrem Winters, a key driver in the revival of Illinois basketball in the mid-1980s and a widely beloved figure among Illini fans, died Monday at age 61 after battling an illness for several years.

Will Riley went off for 18 points in the second half as the Illini pulled away. They'll face Kentucky on Sunday.

Former Illinois men's basketball standout Efrem Winters died Monday morning after a long battle with an undisclosed illness, according to the university. He was 61. The Champaign News-Gazette was ...