ROCHESTER, Mich. – The UIC women's basketball team (1-3, 0-1 HL) had another comeback attempt fall short on Saturday afternoon, falling 76-70 in its Horizon League debut at Oakland (1-2, 1-0 HL). The Flames outscored the Golden Grizzlies 43-37 in the second half and erased a 14-point Oakland advantage to lead by one with just under two minutes remaining in the game, but a 5-0 run for the Golden Grizzlies in the final 45 seconds would put the game out of reach for good.

Jaida McCloud led in her second-straight game with 17 points, 14 of which came in the second half. McCloud also finished the day with eight rebounds and a personal-best seven assists.

First Half Highlights

• Oakland got on the board first, but Jaida McCloud responded for the Flames in their next possession with a three, 3-2. A feed from Tiana Jackson up to Amira Coles extended UIC's lead, 5-2.
• The Golden Grizzlies would put the advantage back in their favor with four-straight points, 6-5.
• The lead went back-and-forth through the next four minutes, until Oakland was able to string together 10 unanswered points over a two-and-a-half-minute span, 20-11.
• The Golden Grizzlies owned a 22-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.  
• Jumpers from Coles and Jada Nneji starting things off for the Flames in the second, 22-18, but Oakland was able to force UIC to make some costly turnovers, allowing it to take the next eight and push its advantage into double digits, 30-18.
• Jackson converted a three-point play to put the Flames back within nine, 30-21, before The Golden Grizzlies would score another four points, 34-21.
• Kristian Young put in a pair of free throws and Kimeira Burks got on the board with a three, 36-27. Oakland replied with a three of their own to lead it 39-27 at the half.  
• The Golden Grizzlies forced 16 UIC turnovers in the first half, which they were able to convert into 15 points.

Second Half Highlights

• UIC cranked up the defense early in the second half, keeping the Golden Grizzlies without a point through nearly the first four minutes of the third quarter. Meanwhile, McCloud, Keona Schenck and Nneji helped the Flames take nine of the first 11 points and pull within five, 41-36.
• The home team got back to work, going on a 6-1 run to push its lead back into double digits, 47-37. UIC was unable to gain much ground through the remaining four minutes of the third quarter, as it trailed by eight at the end of the period, 57-49.
• Jackson and Coles put in buckets for the Flames and Young sank a free throw to shrink Oakland's lead to just three, but the Golden Grizzlies sank a three to double their lead, 60-54. McCloud was able to lay one up before another three and a layup for Oakland, 65-56.
• UIC took its first lead since the first quarter with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes for a one-point advantage, 66-65.
• The Golden Grizzlies laid one up, but Schenck and Young got both points back for the Flames at the free throw line, 68-67. A three for Oakland with 45 seconds left on the clock put the home team up by two, and a pair of freebies pushed its lead to four, 72-68.
• McCloud put in a quick layup, 72-70, but costly trips to the charity stripe for the Golden Grizzlies in the final seconds put the game out of reach for UIC, 76-70.

Facts & Figures

• Aside from Jaida McCloud, three other Flames finished in double figures in Jada Nneji (12 points), Kristian Young (12 points) and Keona Schenck (10 points).
• Young tied her personal best with six assists on the afternoon.
• Nneji and McCloud led for UIC on the boards with eight rebounds apiece.
• Nneji also made three blocks, upping her career total to 149 and putting her into a tie for second place all-time. She now stands just 15 blocks away from the all-time record.
• Amira Coles had her best outing of the season so far, turning in eight points and four rebounds.
• Tiana Jackson finished with six points, three rebounds and a career-high six assists.
• Kimeira Burks came off the bench in her season debut, collecting five points and four rebounds.
• After making 16 turnovers in the first half, the Flames committed only five turnovers in the second half. In the end, the Golden Grizzlies profited 19 points off UIC's 21 miscues, while the Flames cashed in 11 off Oakland's 16 turnovers.
• Oakland was stronger in the paint, 40-32, but the Flames put in more off the fast break, 17-13. UIC was also stronger on the second chance, 7-6, while the Golden Grizzlies' bench outscored UIC's, 23-17.
• The Flames outshot Oakland overall, shooting 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the field compared to 37.9 percent (25-of-66) for the Golden Grizzlies. UIC was also stronger from three, shooting 33.3 percent (4-of-12) to Oakland's 20 percent (4-of-20).
• The home team had the advantage at the charity stripe, sinking 73.3. percent (22-of-30) compared to 52.9 percent (18-of-34) for the Flames.

Up Next

• The Flames and Golden Grizzlies will wrap up the series tomorrow, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. CT.