CHICAGO - Jasmine Bailey scored a career-high 24 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the UIC women's basketball team over nationally-ranked No. 14 Green Bay, 81-72, on Saturday at the UIC Pavilion.
The Flames (8-11, 5-3 Horizon League) used an incredible 17-0 run in the second half, capped by a lay-up from Cassie Johnson to take a 67-57 lead with 5:33 to play that would not surrender.
The run started with Green Bay (16-2, 5-2) leading 57-50 following a three-pointer by freshman Adrian Ritchie. The next time down, Johnson made a lay-up on an assist from freshman Taylor Foulks that got things rolling in the right direction.
"It's been a long time coming for us," said UIC head coach Lisa Ryckbosch after the game. "To be able to jump on them like we did was big."
The win was the first over a ranked opponent in Ryckbosch's eight-year tenure. It was also only the second time her squad knocked off Green Bay with the previous win coming in the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship in 2006.
"We stayed confident. I was impressed with how we moved the ball and shared the ball.
The Flames shot a season-high 52.5 percent (31-for-59) from the field during the game and 45 percent (nine-for-20) from beyond the arc. UIC's 81 points marked a season-high and the highest output since Dec. 20, 2008 when they scored 83 in a win over New Mexico State.
Three other players joined Bailey in double figures on Saturday. Jessie Miller scored 20 points, marking the fourth time this season she's hit that mark. Johnson tied a career-high with 16, while Foulks helped out with 10 points off the bench, including three three-pointers.
"Every single kid that was out there, in some way, shape or form, was a part of this and that's what we're looking for."
Ryckbosch talked even more about Bailey's amazing effort.
"There's no doubt that Jas is an amazing athlete. She's a sophomore and she showed what a smart player she is," said Ryckbosch. "When she plays at that level, everyone else feeds off of it."
UIC had only 10 turnovers in the game, their lowest total since Nov. 20 against Colorado.
Green Bay dropped its second straight ballgame after opening the season with 16 consecutive wins. They had won 35 consecutive Horizon League games leading into Thursday's loss at Loyola.
"It's a bottleneck right now," said Ryckbosch about the Horizon League standings." It's literally anyone's race and anybody can beat anybody."
The Flames will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when they travel north to take on the Loyola Ramblers at 2:00 p.m. Loyola is the only Horizon League team that the Flames yet to face this season.
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