LAS VEGAS – The UIC women's basketball team (2-8) came up short against Fairfield (3-8) on Friday morning in its first game of the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic. The Flames were able to erase a 14-point deficit in the second quarter, but were unable to create a repeat performance in the fourth, as they fell 68-60.

First Half Highlights

• Fairfield took a 5-0 lead to start, but Tylah Lampley got the Flames on the board after driving to the basket to take a quick bounce pass from Tia Tedford. The Stags lead grew to 10 after another five unanswered points, 14-4. By the end of the first quarter, Fairfield's lead had grown again, 21-7.
• Brittany Byrd started things off for UIC in the second with five quick points, sinking a three and then stealing the ball from a Stag in their next possession to run it back for two, 21-12.
• The Flames continued chipping away at the lead with another Byrd layup and another steal returned for two, this one at the hands of Taylor Toney. The senior passed it down court to Kienya Jones, who ran it in and gave it back to Toney, who was under the net, 21-16.
• Short jumpers from Jasmine Gaines and Toney put UIC within three, 23-20, and another steal was cashed in for two by Gaines, 23-22.
• The Flames continued to stay within striking distance of the stags, slimming a five-point gap with another Byrd three, 29-27.
• It was Byrd again in the final seconds of the half, making another trey to allow the Flames to head to the locker room with their first lead of the game, 32-31.
• UIC outscored Fairfield 25-10 in the second to erase the 14-point deficit, aided by seven steals and 73.3 percent field-goal shooting in the quarter.

Second Half Highlights

• Fairfield took the lead back with a 7-2 run to start the half, 38-34, but another Byrd three and a layup from Jones put UIC ahead once again, 39-38. The lead went back-and-forth between the two teams, until a 4-0 run late in the third put the Stags up by four, 48-44.
• The Flames were within one, 50-49, when Fairfield turned up the defense and sparked another 4-0 run, 54-49.
• The Flames struggled to make a field goal in the fourth, allowing Fairfield's lead to extend to eight, 60-52.
• UIC cut the lead in half after a pair of perfect trips to the free throw line from Etheridge and Toney, along with a Toney short-range jumper, 62-58.
• The Flames were unable to close the gap, falling 68-60.

Facts & Figures

• The Flames spread the ball around on offense, led by Brittany Byrd with 16 points, followed by Catera Etheridge and Jada Nneji with nine each.
• Byrd shot 6-of-12 from the field and 4-of-9 from three-point range. Her four threes were her second most this season.
• Taylor Toney contributed eight points, while Kienya Jones tallied a career-high six. Jasmine Gaines matched her career-high as well with six points.
• Nneji led the way in rebounds with six, while Toney rebounded five. The Flames outrebounded the Stags overall, 36-32.
• The Flames recorded 11 steals as a squad, their fourth double-digit steal effort of the season as a team.
• UIC finished the day making 41.5 percent of their shots, compared to 44.4 percent by Fairfield.
• The two teams were even in the paint (22) as well as off the fast break (8). UIC's bench held a sizeable lead over the Stags, 20-2.
• Fairfield netted 18 points off 20 UIC turnovers, while the Flames converted 16 Stag turnovers into 14 points.

Up Next

• UIC wraps up the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic, as well as its non-conference schedule, tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT with Jackson State.