Nov. 25, 2006
Box Score
Hoffman Estates, Ill. - The UIC men's basketball team fell prey to the hot hand of Jackson State senior Trey Johnson on Saturday afternoon as his game-high 36 points paced the Tigers to a 71-68 victory over the Flames in the final game for both teams in the inaugural Chicago Invitational Challenge at the Sears Centre.
Johnson, the Preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, went 13-for-30 from the field and 3-of-9 from three-point range on the afternoon.
The Tigers notched their third straight victory and are now 3-4 on the year. UIC falls to 2-4 with the loss.
The loss spoiled a second straight double-double from Flames junior Othyus Jeffers, who finished with 15 points and a career-high tying 14 rebounds.
Sophomore Scott VanderMeer, who tallied a career-best 10 rebounds, and freshman Spencer Stewart, who recorded a personal-best 10 points and six assists, also had strong showings for UIC on Saturday. Junior Kevin Bond reached double figures in scoring with 10 points.
Jackson State trailed the Flames, 35-34, at intermission and the game stayed within two possessions for the entire final 20 minutes. UIC led 64-63 with 2:08 left, but a 7-0 run by the Tigers over the next 90 seconds sealed the win for Jackson State.
The Flames shot just 30 percent from the field in the second half while the Tigers netted 52 percent of their attempts in the final 20 minutes.
UIC out-rebounded Jackson State, 43-37, and committed just 13 turnovers.
The Flames, who have played their last five games away from home, will return to the UIC Pavilion on Tuesday, Nov. 28, welcoming Murray State for a 7 p.m. tip.
