March 10, 2000

Box Score

Detroit, Mich. - The UIC women's basketball team's late-season run came to an end Friday night as they fell to top-seeded UW-Green Bay, 70-63, in the semifinals of the 2000 MCC Women's Basketball Tournament.

"Give credit to Green Bay," Head Coach Tim Eatman said after the game. "With the game on the line, they stepped it up to another level and we didn't."

The Phoenix (20-8) used a 12-0 run midway through the second half to help secure the victory and snap UIC's seven-game winning streak. Chandra Johnson led UWGB's attack, scoring a career-high 20 points while securing a team-high six rebounds.

The Flames (14-15) were pace by Kimberly Henry, who tallied 23 points while also tying for the team lead in rebounds with four. Amanda Bart added 14 points, connecting on 4-of-8 three-pointers on the night.

It was UIC that took the early advantage in the game as precise offensive execution staked them to a seven-point lead (13-6) early in the half and a four-point edge (33-29) heading into intermission.

Foul trouble kept the Flames from opening things up in the first period as Johnson and Erika Schoeneberger forced two quick fouls on three of UIC's post players while the duo combined for 16 of Green Bay's 29 first-half points.

Things started off well for the Flames in the second half as Bartz dropped in a pair of quick treys to help UIC build a six-point advantage (39-33) with 17:58 left. They led by four 45-41 with 13:09 left, when the Phoenix turned on the gas, reeling of the games next 12 points to take a 53-45 lead with 9:43 remaining. Amanda Leonhard led the charge with a pair of three-pointers while Johnson added a pair of lay-ups.

"We talked before the game about them playing in spurts," said UIC guard Henry. "For some reason we didn't attack. We just laid back instead of attacking."

UIC did not give up, though, cutting the lead back to one (57-56) with a mini-run of their own. The Flames then squandered multiple opportunities to take the lead as Henry misses a driving lay-in off a steal and the front end of a one-and-one while LeKesha Williams also missed the front end of a one-and-one that could have put UIC in the lead.

UW-Green Bay made the Flames pay for the missed opportunities as they went on an 8-0 run following the Williams to build a nine-point edge that they would never relinquish.

The Flames finished the season with a 14-1 record, the most wins by a UIC squad since the 1995-96 team which 17-14.

Green Bay advances to meet the winner of #6 Wright State and #7 Cleveland State tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. EST with the victor earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.