Feb. 17, 2001

Box Score

Chicago, Ill.- Detroit spoiled `Senior Day' for the UIC women's basketball team and took control of third place in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference as they downed the Flames, 65-54, on Saturday in the regular-season home finale at the UIC Pavilion.

"I thought we just played awful," remarked UIC head coach Tim Eatman after the game. "We settled for jump shots and didn't get the ball inside early on."

With the win and a Cleveland State loss at Loyola, Detroit moves into sole possession of third place in the MCC with a 6-5 league mark, 14-11 overall. UIC, meanwhile, slips to fourth in the MCC at 5-6, 8-16 overall.

The Titans shot a stellar 53% (26-of-49) from the field in the contest and kept UIC from mounting a comeback as they netted 56% (13-of-23) of their shots in the second half. Four UDM players finished in double figures as senior Shari Hill paced her team with 16 points while Michelle James, Lori Wild and April Savalli each added 12.

Senior Kimberly Henry led the way for the Flames, scoring a game-high 19 points while also grabbing six rebounds. Fellow senior Melea Clark, the MCC's leading scorer, chipped in with 12 points. Poor free throw shooting plagued the team, though, as UIC converted just nine of 17 attempts (53%) from the charity stripe.

The Flames, who seemed energized at the tip and scored the games first five points, exchanged lengthy scoring runs in the first half with the Titans with the score eventually being tied 19-19 with 4:21 remaining in the period.

Detroit would take command of the game from here as Hill and Savalli combined for all 11 points in a 11-2 surge to take an eight-point advantage (30-22) into intermission. The Titans would expand on their lead in the opening moments of the second half as five quick points put UDM up 35-23.

UIC would pull as close as four (43-39) with 8:38 remaining and seemed to gain possession and momentum on a steal by Amanda Bartz. But the air quickly went out of the UIC run, as a loose ball foul was called on the senior as she raced to gain control of the ball.

Detroit capitalized on the play as an Anne Yoches lay-up sparked an 8-0 run over the next two minutes that put the Titans ahead for good.

The Flames, who have three league contest left on the schedule, hit the road next week, starting with a trip to league-leading UW-Green Bay for a Thursday evening clash with the Phoenix.