CHICAGO – The UIC women's basketball team (3-24, 1-15 HL) was unable to hold off IUPUI (18-9, 12-4 HL) on Saturday afternoon, taking a 73-44 loss at home. The Flames kept good pace with the Jags in the first half, but IUPUI took advantage of a sluggish UIC offense in the second half to jump out to a comfortable lead in the third quarter in route to its fifth-straight win.  

The Flames honored senior Brittany Byrd with an honorary game ball prior to tipoff in honor of reaching 1,000 career points back on Jan. 11 against Oakland.

First Half Highlights

• The Jags scored first on their second possession of the game, but the Flames were able to reply on their next possession with a Kiarra Thompson three, 3-2. IUPUI scored again, but it was Brittany Byrd this time with the three in response, putting the Flames ahead 6-4.
• IUPUI took the lead back with a three and a pair of free throws, 9-6, but the Flames took the next seven by way of a pair of layups and a Catera Etheridge three, 13-9. UIC would only get one more score in the first, a layup from Jada Nneji, but the Flames defense kept the Jags at a distance to end the first quarter up by a bucket, 15-13.
• The Jags opened up the second quarter with an 8-2 run to regain the lead, 21-17, but back-to-back jumpers from Nneji tied the game at 21.
• IUPUI put up six points unanswered across the next two minutes to break the tie, 27-21. The Jags would go on to finish the first half making six of their last eight, while the Flames ended the half scoreless over the last 3:13, giving IUPUI a 37-26 lead.

Second Half Highlights

• The visitors carried their late first-half success into the third period, starting off with a 6-0 run and then following that with a huge 14-0 run after Byrd was able to get in with a pair of layups, 57-30.
• Byrd was the lone Flame to score in the third, tallying all six of UIC's points. On the other side of the court, the Jags put together their second-straight 20-plus quarter, putting up 22 points to grow their lead, 59-32.
• The Flames contended better in the fourth, putting up 12 points to the Jags' 14, but it wasn't enough, as IUPUI finished with a 73-44 win.

Facts & Figures

• Brittany Byrd led the Flames with her second straight 19-point showing. Byrd also led in rebounds with six and handed out a season-high four assists.
• Jada Nneji and Kiarra Thompson followed with eight points apiece. Nneji also matched her career high with three assists and added two blocks.
• Catera Etheridge ended the day scoring five and rebounding five.
• The Flames shot 42.2 percent overall, their highest in a Horizon League play this season. The Jags sank 47.4 percent of their shots and 33.3 percent beyond the arc. The Flames were better from downtown, making 41.7 percent of their long balls.
• IUPUI was stronger in the paint, 36-18, and it brought in more on the second chance, 16-5. The two benches were relatively even with the Jags holding a one-point edge, 13-12.
• The Flames committed 23 turnovers, which led to 27 points for the Jags. UIC got 13 points from 14 IUPUI miscues.

Up Next

• The Flames will be back at home in the Credit Union 1 Arena next weekend to finish out the regular season against Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Highlights