CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- No. 20 Illinois didn't need freshman point guard Frank Williams to score Thursday night. He just passed the ball.

"It all started with Frank. He was pushing the ball," said Illinois center Marcus Griffin, who scored 24 points in the 107-71 victory over Loyola of Chicago.

Williams, who had 13 assists, four steals and five points, said it wasn't so much that he wasn't looking to score, just that his teammates were hot.

"Everyone else was pretty much hitting their shots, so I just got them the ball," he said.

"Thirteen assists is a lot of assists. A lot of forward passes turned into baskets," said Illinois coach Lon Kruger, a former point guard himself.

Cleotis Brown added 19 points, Lucas Johnson had 15 and Cory Bradford 14 for the Illini (8-3), who led by 19 points at halftime.

Jerell Parker had 13 points and Silvijie Turkovic added 12 for Loyola (8-3), which got within 66-55 with 10:30 remaining.

But Illinois, behind Griffin and Brown, went on a 15-1 run for an 81-56 lead with 7:30 to go.

Griffin started the run with a layup and also had two free throws and another basket. Brown had eight points, including two 3-pointers, in the run.

"They're a very good basketball team," Loyola coach Larry Farmer said.

"For every spurt we made, they had an answer and it was usually from the 3-point arc."

Kruger said he was happy with his team's play as it prepares to open the Big 10 season on Jan. 6 at home against Ohio State.

"It was a good effort on both ends of the floor and another step forward," he said.

Illinois shot 50 percent from the field and was 13-of-25 from 3-point range.