The UIC Flames (4-17, 1-9 HL) put an emphatic end to a long losing streak with an efficient win over Valparaiso. Thursday night, they will look to make it two Horizon League wins in a row when Cleveland State (10-11, 5-5 HL) comes to town for the second matchup between the teams this season.
In taking down Valparaiso 74-60, the Flames shot 55.3% from the field and 81% on free throws. Both were high water marks for the season.
Taylor Toney led UIC with 25 points on 11-of-12 shooting. No Flame has scored as much in a single game this season.
Tyra Carlsten-Handberg set a career high with 18 points, including 3-of-6 on three-pointers. She won the Horizon League's Freshman of the Week award for her performance.
UIC never trailed in the game, led by as many as 22 points in the first half, and never let Valpo get closer than 10 points thereafter. They sealed the win by making 11 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter. An assist was registered on 21 of their 26 made baskets.
Terri Bender had 10 of them, which gave her the all-time assist record at UIC. She passed Chrissy Dizon with her 10
th and final assist of the game, which represented the 455
th of her career.
Thursday's contest will be the fourth game in a season-long five game homestand at UIC Pavilion. The Flames have found some defensive rhythm in their home gym. They allowed a then-conference low 42.9% shooting percentage to Wright State in the homestand opener, then Northern Kentucky only shot 0.3% better. The Norse scored just 58 points, the lowest output the Flames have allowed in conference play. Valpo fared only slightly better, with 60 points, but shot just 27.8%, by far the lowest the Flames have allowed all season.
The teams met once previously this season, with Cleveland State grabbing a 77-59 victory on Jan. 14. The Vikings went on a couple of runs in the first half, including a 16-0 spurt to end the half, that gave them a comfortable margin for the rest of the game. Some of UIC's wounds were self-inflicted, as the Flames committed 10 turnovers in the first half alone, leading to 17 Viking points, whereas Cleveland State turned the ball over just one time in the first half.
Brittany Byrd recorded her first double-double of the season in the team's first meeting. Her 16 points and career high 11 rebounds comprised the first double-double of her career.
Taylor Toney joined Byrd in double figures with 10 points. Four Vikings broke double figures, and the team took 34 trips to the free throw line, still the most among all UIC opponents.
Cleveland State enters action on a three game losing streak, part of having gone 1-4 since their last meeting with UIC. They dropped to .500 in Horizon League play after most recently falling 65-51 to Green Bay. The Vikings were outrebounded 44-26, and tallied just three assists to Green Bay's 20. Ashanti Abshaw scored 21 points and Khayla Livingston added 18, marking the 9th time that both scored in double figures. No other pair of teammates in the conference has done so as often. Abshaw is second in the Horizon League in scoring, while Shadae Bosley is second in blocks (1.4 per game).
Thursday's game will be televised on ESPN3. Fans can also log on to uicflames.com for live stats, and for updates.
