Dec. 31, 2011
Final Box Score 
CHICAGO - Senior center
Darrin Williams scored a career-high 22 points, but fouled out with 42 seconds remaining in regulation, and visiting Wright State out-scored the Flames 16-12 in overtime, leading to a 74-70 win over the UIC men's basketball team at the UIC Pavilion Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, UIC drops to 5-9 on the season, with a 1-3 Horizon League record. Wright State improves to 8-8 and 3-1. All four of UIC's Horizon League games have been decided by five points or less.
Williams scored his 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds. He was joined in double figures by junior point guard Gary Talton, who scored a career-high-tying 21 points, and freshman guard Marc Brown, who chipped in 12 points. Wright State was led by reigning Horizon League Co-Player of the Week Julius Mays, who scored 21 points, and Johann Mpondo, who chipped in 16.
Wright State out-rebounded the Flames 37-34, and saw its bench out-score the Flames' reserves, 19-2. There were a combined 25 ties and lead changes in the game.
"I want to give a lot of credit to Wright State and Coach Donlon for coming in here with that group - he had his team ready to go," said head coach Howard Moore. "Their guys really stepped up. (Johann) Mpondo came into this game averaging 1.5 points per game, and made eight huge free throws, and scored 16 points. He was the difference tonight."
"We knew this game was going to be a grinder," Moore added. "You had two teams out on the floor that really pay attention to defense; neither team shot the ball great. It was a possession game; it came down to a fraction of a possession here or there that was going to decide this game. Wright State was a little more disciplined than we were, and they came out of here with a win in overtime."
Wright State jumped out to a 5-0 lead, and extended its advantage to 15-7 with 13:05 remaining in the first half after Mays' second field goal. After falling behind 19-12, UIC went on a 15-2 run, taking a 27-21 lead with 21 seconds remaining in the half after a three-pointer by sophomore forward Hayden Humes. But Wright State's John Balwigaire hit a three with time running down at the end of the stanza, pulling within three, 27-24, heading into the locker room at halftime.
The Raiders scored the first four points of the second half, taking a 28-27 lead with 18:10 remaining. Williams and junior guard Daniel Barnes scored on consecutive possessions to put UIC back on top, 32-30, at the 15:52 mark. There were a combined eight ties and lead changes in the ensuing 6:42, before Wright State claimed a 45-40 lead (9:10) following a layup by Reggie Arceneaux.
UIC tied the game, 50-50, with 4:34 remaining after two free throws by Talton. After UIC forced a turnover, Talton then hit a three-pointer from the left wing, giving the Flames' their first lead (53-50) since the 12:43 mark. But Wright State answered with a 6-1 run, taking a 56-54 lead with 1:17 left. The Raiders took a 58-56 lead after two free throws by Mays with 42 seconds remaining, but Talton countered with two converted freebies with 19 seconds left, sending the game to the extra session.
Talton started the overtime session with a driving jumper, giving UIC its final lead, 60-58 (4:29). Wright State built a 68-62 lead with just 52 ticks left in overtime, but UIC answered with a quick 8-2 run, bolstered by a three-pointer by Barnes, to pull within 70-68 with 16 seconds left in overtime.
Mays hit 1-of-2 free throws with 13 seconds left, keeping the margin at just one possession, 71-68. Talton then drove to the basket to slice the deficit to just one (71-70), but Balwigaire sealed the win with a conventional three-point play with only four seconds remaining to preserve the four-point win.
UIC will hit the road to take on Cleveland State (Jan. 5) and Youngstown State (Jan. 7) in a pair of Horizon League road games next week.
