VALPARAISO, Ind. – The UIC women's basketball team (1-9) closed out its non-conference road slate on Sunday afternoon, falling 63-37 to former Horizon League foe Valparaiso (5-3). Junior transfer Jealissa Presswood shined for the Flames, tallying personal bests in points (11) and rebounds (8) to lead UIC's offense.

Freshman Shelby Case finished with a new career high in rebounds, more than doubling her previous mark with nine. Junior Kiarra Thompson also matched her career-best showing on the boards, finishing with eight.  

First Half Highlights

• Kimeira Burks found Jada Nneji under the basket for a layup to allow UIC to score first. The Flames defense was able to keep Valparaiso without a score in the first two minutes and 20 seconds, while Burks put in a jumper to extend the Flames' lead to four.
• The Crusaders got on the board and tied the game with back-to-back layups, and they would later find their first lead of the game after a three, 7-6.
• Abreanna Lake put UIC back ahead with a jumper, but the lead flipped again with a pair of Valpo free throws, 9-8. A Crusader triple extended the lead to two possessions, but Presswood cut it back down to one, 12-10.
• Both teams were without a field goal in the final three minutes of the first quarter, as a pair of free throws for Valparaiso gave them a 14-10 lead.
• A three-point basket two minutes into the second quarter ended the Crusaders' field-goal drought, and a layup by Kiarra Thompson ended UIC's, 17-12.
• Valpo strung together five unanswered points to extend its lead into double figures, 24-14. The Crusaders would close out the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 35-17 lead.

Second Half Highlights

• Shelby Case and Jada Nneji put together a long-range jumper and a layup to give the Flames a 4-0 streak. Valparaiso responded with a trey and rattled off another five without a reply from UIC, 48-22.
• Presswood sank four free throws around back-to-back layups by Burks, but the Flames still trailed at the end of the third quarter, 51-30.
• Burks continued her offensive push in the fourth quarter with another driving layup, 55-33.
• The Flames would finish out their scoring with freebies from Presswood and Thompson, falling by a final tally of 63-37.

Facts & Figures

• Kimeira Burks finished with her second double-digit showing of the season, finishing just one point below her personal best with 10.
• Kiarra Thompson ended the day with six points in addition to her career-high eight rebounds.
• Jada Nneji brought in five points, four rebounds and made a trio of blocks.
• Jealissa Presswood's career day included a 7-of-12 showing from the free-throw line.
• Shelby Case and Abreanna Lake made three steals apiece.
• The Flames out rebounded Valpo, 43-35.
• The Crusaders shot 37.9 percent overall on the day and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc, sinking nine three pointers.
• UIC made 26.7 percent of its attempts from the field and 46.4 percent from the free throw line.
• Valparaiso profited 18 points from 29 UIC turnovers. The Flames took eight from 18 Crusader miscues.
• Valpo was stronger in the paint, 26-14, but the Flames scored more on the second chance, 11-4. The Crusaders held the advantage off the fast break, 22-4, and its bench outscored UIC's 16-6.

Up Next

• The Flames will wrap up their non-conference schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at home against Eastern Michigan.