Dec. 21, 2010
Final Stats
Final Stats in PDF Format
CHICAGO - Using a swarming man-to-man defense , a season-high 14 steals and an 18-2 run during the second half, the UIC women's basketball team ended a three-game losing streak as it buried the Bradley Braves at the UIC Pavilion on Tuesday night, 74-65.
The Flames (5-5) led by two with 9:24 to play when the impressive run began and it all started on the defensive end. During the 18-2 run, UIC accumulated six steals by five different players and four different players combined for the 18 points.
The Flames finished the game with a season-high 14 steals. Briana Hinkle, who entered the game as the Horizon League leader in that category, racked a game-high and season-high-tying five thefts. Jasmine Bailey added two, while Shameia Green recorded a pair.
After the game, UIC head coach Lisa Ryckbosch pointed out that the presence of transfer Cree Nix, who made her first start for the Flames in her third game, was a big reason for the dominating defensive display.
"For Cree to play 37 minutes was huge," said Ryckbosch. "Our ability to go up the floor was huge and that's something I know I wanted to do, but because we've been so depleted because of our death, we really haven't had the opportunity to do it a whole lot. To be able to get up and get after people and make them work for every step is how we want to play. We were able to do that tonight and that created a lot for us on offense."
The stingy defense led to 12 fast-break points for the Flames and 38 points in the paint.
Green led all players with 21 points on Tuesday with 14 of those coming in the first half. Nix added a career-high 20 points, while Hinkle chipped in with 14 points and a career-high-tying eight assists for UIC.
Bradley (7-4) was led by Latasha Hollingshed who had 18 points in the losing effort. The Braves did collected seven more rebounds than the Flames (41-to-34), led by Raisa Taylor who had a game-high eight boards.
UIC will close out the non-conference slate with a tilt at Eastern Michigan on Thursday afternoon. The Flames and Eagles will square off inside the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. at 12 p.m. CT.
