Nov. 28, 2009
Box Score
CARBONDALE, Ill.- Zavion Neely led all scorers with a career-high 24 points, but the UIC men's basketball team could not overcome 21 turnovers and a second-half three-point barrage by Southern Illinois' Carlton Fay in a 74-64 loss to the Salukis at SIU Arena on Saturday night.
Robo Kreps added 19 points and Jeremy Buttell scored 12 while pulling down six boards for the Flames (1-3).
Fay scored 19 of his 23 points for the Salukis (3-1) after intermission, going 5-for-6 from beyond the arc in the game's final 20 minutes.
The Flames committed 13 first-half turnovers but managed to remain within striking distance of the hosts, trailing by just three at the half behind Neely's 12 points in the opening period.
UIC would lead by as many as three early in the second half, and the two sides traded the advantage a few times in the middle of the period.
That's when Fay, a 6-foot-8 reserve forward, got going. With Southern Illinois nursing a 43-42 lead and just over 11 minutes left in regulation, Fay went on an 8-0 run of his own in under a minute by laying in a bucket and hitting back-to-back treys to extend the hosts' advantage by nine. Less than two minutes later he hit another three that put the Salukis up 14.
The Flames' deficit would reach as many as 17 before UIC, fueled by offense from Neely, Kreps and Buttell, would chip away and get within nine with two minutes remaining.
But Fay hit another dagger from downtown as 1:38 flashed on the clock, and the Flames could only get within eight in the game's final moments.
Miscues played a big role in the decision. Southern Illinois converted the Flames' 21 giveaways into 30 points.
"Turnovers are always going to be a factor whether you win or lose," said UIC head coach Jimmy Collins. "We turned the ball over and it led to scoring opportunities for them. That put air in their sails, and they sailed on out with the win."
Collins knew Fay would pose a threat to the Flames on Saturday.
"I always said Fay was a heck of a player, and he proved that today," said Collins. "Anytime you got a guy his size with his strength who can step out and shoot threes and go inside and post you up, he's obviously a problem. We didn't switch, we missed our assignments and the rest was history."
Collins also had mixed feelings on the play of his backcourt, as Kreps and Neely combined for 43 points but also had 12 turnovers.
"I was happy in one sense and not so happy in another," Collins said. "Our guards have to carry the load for us. We have new post people, and we are trying to get those guys offensively involved, and if we get them involved, then we are going to become a better team.
"I thought Zavion did a good job," said Collins of his sophomore point guard, who played a career-high 39 minutes. "He didn't play much last year, so he's new to playing a lot at this level."
Brad Birton pulled down a game-high eight rebounds for the second straight game.
UIC heads to Wisconsin next weekend to begin Horizon League play, opening Thursday night against Milwaukee at U.S. Cellular Arena at 7 p.m. in a game live on ESPN Radio 1000 AM and online via the Horizon League Network and ESPNChicago.com.
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1. Download the free UIC Athletics Widget and click on the "UIC Flames Podcasts" link
2. Download podcasts for free on iTunes by searching "UIC Flames."
Fans wishing to learn more about affordable and flexible UIC ticket plans are encouraged to call 312-413-UIC1 or visit www.uicflames.com and click on the "Tickets" tab on the Flames home page.
