YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The UIC women's basketball team (7-6, 0-2 HL) was unable to surpass Horizon League foe Youngstown State (6-8, 2-1 HL) on Thursday afternoon, falling 76-63 in its first road contest of conference play.

A majority of the Flames' scoring came from four of their starters, as Brittany Byrd, Catera Etheridge, Taylor Toney and Gabryelle Johnson all recorded double-digit efforts. UIC committed 28 fouls against the Penguins, its highest mark of the season in that category.

First Half Highlights

• YSU scored first after a 3:12 drought to start the game. The Flames quickly responded, scoring 27 seconds later for their first time.
• Tied at four points apiece, UIC spread the ball around to go on a six-point run with field goals from Gabryelle Johnson, Brittany Byrd and Catera Etheridge. A YSU jumper just ahead of the final minute of the first quarter ended the Penguins' drought, 10-6.
• Tia Tedford swished a three to end the first quarter, re-establishing the Flames lead, 13-6.
• The Flames missed their first eight shots to start the second period, leaving them in a drought for the first six plus minutes and allowing the Penguins to close in on the gap, eventually tying it with 4:09 remaining in the half. UIC's shooting woes finally ended with Taylor Toney at the line making a pair of shots to put the Flames ahead once again, 15-13.
• The Penguins grabbed their first lead of the quarter off a three-pointer, and the two teams traded successful trips to the charity stripe to keep the Flames within one, but the home team finished the half with a pair of threes to head to locker room with a comfortable 30-23 lead.

Second Half Highlights

• UIC began chipping away at the deficit early on in the third quarter, drawing within two just under two minutes into the quarter. Gabyrelle Johnson tied it with a quick-spin jumper, and a free throw at the hands of Brittany Byrd would put the Flames back in the lead, 34-33.
• The Penguins responded with another timely three to take back the advantage, but the Flames fought back to lead by one. Following a YSU free throw to tie it, the Penguins went yard once to put the game in their favor.
• Facing a five-point hole, a pair of threes offset by a YSU jumper put UIC within one, but a dramatic buzzer beater for the Penguins closed the third period with a 50-46 YSU lead.
• The Penguins put together a successful offensive surge, extending its lead to nine quickly in the fourth, until a three from Cater Etheridge put the Flames on the board for the first time in the quarter.
• YSU made another push offensively, and eventually grew its lead to 14. The deficit proved to be too much for the Flames, ending the game with a 76-63 win for the Penguins.

Facts and Figures

• UIC out-scored the Penguins in the first and third quarters, but YSU's crooked numbers in the second and fourth quarters gave the Penguins the overall advantage.
• Taylor Toney recorded double-digit points for the seventh-straight contest, ending the game with a team-high 13 points alongside Brittany Byrd and Gabryelle Johnson, who also notched 13 points apiece.
• Catera Etheridge poured in 10 points to round out the Flames double-digit scoring efforts.
• Tia Tedford (9) and Tylah Lampley (5) came off the bench as the only other Flames to register points.
• The Flames held the advantage in points in the paint, outscoring the Penguins 30-20. UIC also committed one fewer turnover than the home team, committing 17 miscues to YSU's 18.
• UIC attempted 57 field goals to the Penguins 41, but YSU was far more efficient, hitting 48.8 percent of the shots while the Flames hit just 38.6 percent.
• Both teams were relatively successful from the free throw line, with the Flames having a slight advantage hitting 13-of-17 (76.5 percent), while the Penguins hit 28-of-37 (75.7 percent)

Up Next

• The two-game road trip continues as the Flames move on to Cleveland State on Saturday, Jan. 6. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT.