Sam Maniscalco led the way with 14 points as Illinois edged Illinois State, 63-59, on Wednesday in the championship game of the Riviera Division at the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico.

D.J. Richardson added 13 points for the Fighting Illini (5-0), who beat Richmond on Tuesday to advance to the final.

Illinois took a 34-27 lead into the locker room but quickly fell behind as the Redbirds burst out of the break with a 15-3 run. The Illini grabbed the lead back, 50-47, when Mansicalco was fouled beyond the arc and hit all three free throws.

But Illinois State, which beat a major-conference opponent in Rutgers to reach the final, tied it again at 52-52 when Jackie Carmichael completed a three-point play with 5:16 on the clock.

The Redbirds went cold from there, missing four of their next five field goal attempts and the front end of a one-and-one as Illinois regained control. Mansicalco scored five points in the final minute and Brandon Paul hit two free throws with 0.5 seconds left to seal it.

Carmichael finished with 17 points for Illinois State (3-2).