CHICAGO – The UIC women's basketball team (2-7) was brought down by Pac-12 member UCLA (6-5) on Wednesday night, 78-47, in the first ever meeting between the two teams. The Flames endured 10 denials from the Bruins, an opponent season-high.

Brittany Byrd was responsible for 45 percent of UIC's total points, leading all scorers with 21 points for her third 20+ outing of the season.

First Half Highlights

• UCLA opened the floodgates early, bursting into a 12-0 lead and leaving the Flames scoreless through the first three minutes. A layup from Byrd got UIC on the board, but the Flames' struggled to make another bucket until Byrd came up with a three in the final minute of the first quarter.
• Seven UIC turnovers in the final five minutes of the first quarter gave way to nine points for the Bruins, resulting in a 21-5 UCLA lead.
• The second quarter started quiet, with the Bruins scoring only four through the first five minutes. Byrd sank another three for the Flames, while UCLA followed with its first three of the night.
• A jumper from Tylah Lampley gave way to a 6-0 run for the Flames, but UCLA was able to rediscover its offense, ending the first half with an 11-1 run and a 39-15 lead.  

Second Half Highlights

• Byrd laid one up to start the second half, but UCLA responded just 10 seconds later. The Flames applied good defensive pressure in the paint, keeping the Bruins from a field goal in the next three minutes. On the other end of the court, UIC's offense was driving into the paint, scoring off a Taylor Toney fast break and another pair of Byrd buckets.
• Tia Tedford got on the board with a 3-of-4 showing from two trips to the charity stripe, 52-28. The Flames picked up the pace in the final minutes of the third quarter, with six more points from Byrd and a Tatum McCall triple, 58-37.
• McCall put in another one from downtown to start the fourth, but the Bruins went on to take seven unanswered points in the frame's middle minutes to grow the lead, 69-42. The Bruins would go on to finish off the Flames, 78-47.

Facts & Figures

• Tatum McCall's pair of threes resulted in six points for the freshman, making her UIC's highest scorer behind Brittany Byrd.
• Jada Nneji, Taylor Toney and Tylah Lampley all chipped in four for the Flames.
• Byrd also led the way for UIC on the boards, tallying seven rebounds. Nneji, Toney and Kara Wilson followed with three rebounds apiece.
• The Flames shot 31.4 percent from the field, compared to 37.5 percent by UCLA.
• UIC made 71.4 percent of its shots from the free-throw line, a season high.
• The Flames sank five triples – three from Byrd and two from McCall – compared to three for the Bruins.
• The Flames committed 27 turnovers, resulting in 26 points for the Bruins. The Flames took just six from 16 UCLA miscues.
• The Bruins made 42 of their points in the paint, to UIC's 18. The Flames held the advantage in second-chance points, 15-14. UCLA's bench outscored UIC by a margin of 24-18.

Up Next

• The Flames head to Las Vegas Nevada to finish their non-conference schedule at the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic.
• UIC is set to face Fairfield (Dec. 21) and Jackson State (Dec. 22).

Highlights